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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 10 Hansard (30 August) . . Page.. 3868 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

The cleaning industry operates at any time in a 24-hour day over a seven-day week. Unlike the construction industry, there is no standard full-time work day and corresponding schedule of pay. Remuneration for unusual times of work and hours of work is integral to the contract cleaning industry.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the amendments ensure that cleaners will receive long service leave payments that match their work history. The recording of cleaners' employment periods also ensures that all cleaners receive equal treatment, irrespective of how many or how few hours they work.

The amendments are to apply retrospectively, effective from the date of commencement of the current act. The bill will not be detrimental to any benefits received, nor will the bill penalise any breach of the amended act that took place before the introduction of the amendments. Mr Deputy Speaker, I encourage members to support the bill.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

MRS BURKE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MRS BURKE: Mr Deputy Speaker, standing order 156 sets out the requirements in relation to conflicts of interest. I would like the Assembly to know that I am closely related to someone who has a business of this nature. However, I propose to participate in this debate and vote on questions.

Detail stage

MR BERRY (10.05): Mr Deputy Speaker, I formally move amendment No 1 which has been circulated in my name [see schedule 11 at page 3930].

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: You have spoken to it, I understand.

MR BERRY: I have and I do not need to speak to the amendment again.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.05): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak to the amendment. Again, we are seeing an example of something being done in haste. We first saw this amendment about an hour or hour and a half ago. In the first place, we are here to fix up an act which was passed in haste. That is why it is flawed to such an extent that it does not work. I think people should be understandably nervous about Mr Berry's last minute specials like this because we are always having to clean up his mess.

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