Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 865 ..
Peter Reith and Tony Abbott approach to so-called workplace reform, we now have casualisation of the work force and we now have elimination of security of tenure-and it is no joke, let me tell you. It is not just those poor workers. It will turn out to be a social problem.
We are eliminating the capacity of people to build their own future and to provide for the future. After a generation of having a casualised work force, we will have far more people depending on welfare in their advancing years than we have today. The so-called workplace reforms that have brought us to Totalcare today will cost generations in the future. It is short-term thinking on the part of the current federal government.
In terms of time, we have a couple of dates in mind. They are part of policy, but we have not even formed the implementation group and we have not even written the detail of the terms of reference. Therefore, I do not think that we should be playing the dumb game that seems to flow from the other side of the house about giving a date. Why don't you ask a question that has some substance to it, instead of asking about when something is going to happen. If that is the best you can possibly do, you are wasting the time of this house.
Community Housing Canberra
MS TUCKER
: Mr Speaker, my question is to the minister for housing. Minister, I understand that changes to the rules of governance for Community Housing Canberra are being considered by government, and that several options for future management of community housing are being considered, including setting up a separate company to own the properties that CHC manages and turning it into a statutory authority.Can you advise the Assembly how the CHC board-the community housing providers-and community housing tenants are involved in these rule changes; how we can be assured that their concerns will be addressed; and also whether these changes will result in CHC gaining the right to sell-off property in order to fund further development?
MR WOOD
: Mr Speaker, there is a round of discussions listed in my diary with CHC. CCHOACT and other groups will be interested in what is happening. I am not prepared, at this stage, to indicate where we are going because there is a whole process of discussion, to work out just what options for community housing are best, and how they might best be pursued. If you give me some time to work these issues through, in a relatively short period, I might be in a position to respond in some detail. We have not yet come to any conclusion but I can tell you that, in the nature of how we do things, there will be ample discussion with all those involved.MS TUCKER
: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Minister, can you reassure the Assembly that, in these discussions, the question of security of tenure will not be compromised?MR WOOD
: I would not think security of tenure would be compromised. We have brought it in with ACT Housing properties. I cannot see any means by which we would go back on it-we have only just done it. We are not about to take a different step-certainly not.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .