Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 3425 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

I will go on a little search. If this amendment does not pass, each time I find somebody on an individual contract who has to pay for their own insurance because their scheming employer wants to avoid his workers compensation responsibilities, I am going to go to your office minister. I will go to your office and I will make you completely and utterly aware of it. I will ram it down your throat until you recognise that something has to be done about these people.

If you want to avoid your responsibilities on this one you go for your life, but this is a clear and easily understood way of making people understand their responsibilities out there in the community and to make sure that workers, low-paid workers many of them, are adequately covered by workers compensation, not by some personal tax arrangements which do not deliver the goods for them and do not deliver the sorts of benefits which apply in this workers compensation levy.

I know there are business supporters of the government who would like the option to opt out. I saw some reports in the paper on the weekend about people concerned about workers compensation premiums, and they have a right to be concerned. I think that the insurance companies are making it pretty tough for employers in the ACT-there is no doubt about that-but encouraging them to opt out is not the answer.

Question put:

The Assembly voted-

	 Ayes 6  		Noes 9

Mr Berry  Mr Stanhope  	Mrs Burke  	Mr Rugendyke
Mr Corbell    		Mr Cornwell  	Mr Smyth
Mr Hargreaves    	Mr Hird  	Mr Stefaniak
Mr Osborne    		Mr Kaine  	Ms Tucker    
Mr Quinlan    		Mr Moore   

Amendment negatived.

MR BERRY (8.45): I move amendment No 3 on the yellow sheet, which is circulated in my name [see schedule 3, yellow sheet, at page 3540].

Mr Speaker, this is another recommendation of the workers compensation select committee in May 2000, a little over a year ago. This is about ensuring that the host employer in a labour hire arrangement has the responsibility for workers compensation. I will go to the evidence that was brought before the committee to give members an insight into the evidence that came before us. It hasn't dated. Nothing has changed much, Mr Speaker. First of all I will go to the evidence that was submitted to the committee by the CFMEU. They said this:

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .