Page 1304 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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You might have to ask yourself what it is about this structure of industrial relations and workplace relations in this country that led to a situation where so much annual leave was accumulated that Australian workers, Australian families, those who are our domestic tourists—and the ACT’s key market is families—felt unable, because of the industrial relations system that was in place until only a week ago, and not confident enough to utilise their annual leave. So we are seeing this massive stockpile of unused annual leave.
Those opposite who want to paint with this broad brush around economic policy might want to consider the impact that Work Choices had on the accumulation of unused annual leave and the impact that that has directly had on domestic tourism in this country. There is no doubt. Mr Speaker, you do not even need to rely upon me for this. Simply go to the comments of the former Liberal federal tourism minister, Fran Bailey, who herself commissioned an inquiry from Tourism Australia into this very issue. It was clear that the unused annual leave was accruing at an alarming rate because the industrial relations system was working against Australian families enjoying a decent holiday.
We here in the ACT are significantly impacted on by the feelings and the travel preferences of the surrounding major cities, particularly Sydney. If Sydney families, working families in Sydney, do not feel comfortable and secure enough in their employment that they can take annual leave and take a holiday—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR BARR: It is no wonder that those opposite do not like this, because it is a clear impact of Work Choices. A very clear impact of Work Choices was to drive up the amount of unused recreation leave, and that had a dramatic impact on domestic tourism, not just in the ACT but across the country. But we are particularly impacted. Working families in Western Sydney who voted with their feet so strongly in supporting the Australian Labor Party and the abolition of Work Choices back in 2007 have finally seen those policies enacted, with no help from the Liberal opposition. I am aware that there will be a further and significant effort—(Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, a key component of the tourism numbers for the ACT is, of course, those that attend Floriade. Minister, why have you taken six months to fail to release this report?
MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Speaker. In response to Mr Smyth’s question, I have not taken six months to release a report, nor have I failed to release a report. The report is available. Media outlets have the report. I released the preliminary data from that report in January of this year. The report has been released. There are media outlets that have this report at this moment.
Opposition members interjecting—
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