Page 196 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 26 February 2014
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been possible, especially on OH&S grounds, without the continuous work on safety and wages by the union movement. Through the implementation of safer environments we have continued to see job growth. Continued consumer confidence in the community will be impacted as the conditions currently enjoyed by workers across the board, such as penalty rates and overtime loadings, are on Mr Abetz’s chopping block. These working conditions are the main reason I as a shift worker was able to support my family on a single income. Those rates rewarded me for working hours that meant I was not around the family at times many of us take for granted.
This sentiment is also displayed by business owners such as Clive Palmer MP, who put rather eloquently on Q&A on Monday night:
Well, I’ll just say at peak times the employer has got an opportunity to make more money because there's more people coming in and you can charge higher prices for what you’re selling. So it seems reasonable, if you want to trade at that time, that the people that work for you should also benefit from that. I employ a lot of people in the resort industries and I know a lot of times I make more money on the weekend paying penalty rates than I do during the week. I don't begrudge paying people that because it's their talent and their ability that allows me to trade.
To sum up, in the face of the Liberal government cuts to the public service and the proven effect that this will have on many, many sectors of ACT workers, the ACT government is committed to continuing our work to safeguard jobs in the territory for all Canberrans and to attempt to avoid the disastrous effects we saw with the election of the Howard government in 1996. In this endeavour I call on those opposite to work with us to protect the conditions and employment of working families across the territory.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (3.55): The government will not be supporting Mr Hanson’s amendment.
Mr Smyth: Not supporting truth?
MR BARR: I am pleased that the shadow treasurer has taken the opportunity to interject on this question of truth because in his comments prior to the luncheon break the Leader of the Opposition spent a deal of time quoting from the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee Senate estimates hearing of 19 November last year. During that hearing particular attention was paid, during the appearance of Mr David Tune, the Secretary of the Department of Finance, and officers from his department, to questions of efficiency dividends and their impacts upon levels of employment within the public sector.
During his contribution prior to lunch the Leader of the Opposition undertook some quite selective quoting of the transcript of that particular hearing. So I thought I would take the opportunity this afternoon to put some of the other elements of that hearing onto the public record to ensure that those who read this debate in future have a balanced understanding of that hearing and also have an understanding of the highly politicised approach that the incoming government has taken in relation to this matter.
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