Page 1845 - Week 06 - Thursday, 5 May 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
One can only imagine what would occur if peak business bodies were to have a bigger influence on the setting of the minimum wage. Without a reasonable minimum wage and with continued attacks on unions, many Canberrans need an independent arbitrator to assure basic living needs. It is also apparent that the federal government will introduce Australian workplace agreements to replace balanced family-friendly certified agreements. The introduction of AWAs over certifying agreements will affect thousands of Canberrans.
The Stanhope Labor government has worked hard on many new initiatives that are now under threat by the federal government from 1 July. The industrial manslaughter legislation was a major piece of legislation for the rights of workers in the ACT and their families. This piece of legislation has helped protect the rights of workers and called on their employers to respect and maintain safe working environments. It allows for people to feel protected in the workplace and ensures a positive future for all working families. In Australia, around 440 workers are killed each year in work-related accidents, and the ACT’s industrial manslaughter legislation helps to protect our workers.
As we are aware, there has already been talk in the media about the issues surrounding the government’s Medicare safety net. The federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, has been strong in promoting his government’s commitment to the Medicare safety net and the positive effects it will have on the community. But we have now been advised that they have broken this promise and that the safety net has been changed to reduce the amount of claims for Canberrans. It also appears that private health care costs have risen by up to 30 per cent, and this directly affects our community in the ACT.
The federal education minister, Brendan Nelson, has already introduced, on 16 March 2005, a bill that will decimate the provision of services for university students. The bill, if enacted as legislation, will prohibit higher education from providing such amenities, facilities or services that are not directly associated with academic studies. University students comprise a significant sector of the population in the ACT, and the quality of our educational facilities brings students from across Australia and the world to study in Canberra.
The Select Committee on Working Families in the Australian Capital Territory will investigate these real and apparent changes and the outcomes and effects they will have on our community in the ACT. If created, the committee will report on and advise the Assembly during and after any changes that affect the ACT and our working families. The feedback that we have had from the ACT community is that of concern. The community are worried about these federal changes and the effects they will have on their families. It should be this government that helps to educate our own community. As participants in the democracy of the Australian Capital Territory, I urge all Assembly members to support this motion.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.05): The Liberal opposition will be opposing this motion, not because we are not concerned about working families—indeed, as we are all members of working families, we are very concerned about the implications for and impacts on working families—but because this is a stunt by the Labor Party.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .