Page 1531 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 May 2006
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Through her motion, Mrs Burke has failed to acknowledge the number of witnesses who congratulated this Assembly for creating the committee. She has failed to acknowledge that the effects of WorkChoices are already being felt, not just around the country but here in our own territory. Mrs Burke does an injustice to working families in her electorate by putting forward her motion. It is shameful that she uses their name as a basis for her argument.
Irrespective of the length of time you shut down this committee, the shameful story of that previous company will not go away, and I ask the opposition to come clean with the people of Canberra, once and for all. For months we have had to hear of your love affair with WorkChoices. Now we hear that you will not support the very inquiry that seeks to examine the object of your affections. Come clean with the people of Canberra. Let them know that you remain interested only in looking after yourselves and your federal mates. Tell them that their best interests are not at the core of your decisions; rather, avoiding your own red faces. I ask them to tell Gowrie childcare worker Emily Connor that when she was sacked without warning or recourse this was fair—it was about choice! Tell her that five years in the childcare centre did not entitle her to some form of explanation or warning. But the Liberal opposition will not be talking to ordinary working people; it is just not in their nature.
We heard the other night about Mr Seselja’s position on women. What an achievement, Mr Seselja—third place in the Greg awards. Your continued support of anti-women WorkChoices legislation may see you take out top honours next year. I was going to continue on about some of the other members in the chamber and their position regarding industrial relations, but we are running short of time.
Governments, and indeed oppositions, are remembered by what they stood for. History shows us that great leaders are made from times of social and political upheaval. The Liberal opposition, with this motion and their continued ostrich-in-the-sand approach to industrial relations, will not be forgotten by the people of Canberra. Their failure to represent their constituents on this fundamental issue will be their undoing.
I applaud this Assembly for having the foresight to establish the committee and I implore you all to support my amendment.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (11.12): I remind Mr Gentleman that it is possible to oppose the WorkChoices legislation, and oppose it vehemently, campaign strongly against it and yet support Mrs Burke’s amendment. I note that the whole nature of your response to the motion was about the Liberal’s stance federally and, assumedly, locally on WorkChoices. Yet that was not what the motion was about. I agree. I oppose their response, but I still support the motion. You hinted at a lot of stories about hardship that has already been experienced under the WorkChoices legislation.
If I thought your committee was going to solve those problems and get rid of the legislation, I would be absolutely behind it. But I cannot imagine that the committee, as constituted, leads to robust discussion which is going to do anything but score political points. I believe that the Assembly is the place for that robust discussion. I am glad we are having it now. I also believe, Mr Gentleman, that your position as an MLA gives you the authority to collect and comment upon these stories. Indeed, I see it as very much
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