Page 3146 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 September 2014
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I also wanted to make some comments regarding some of the things that Mr Wall said in response to my motion. I am glad he brought up clean start, something I was particularly proud of being involved in and continue to support. I want to bring to Mr Wall’s attention that some of the people who support clean start who he referred to earlier might be a bit dishonest for their support of the clean start agreement.
At the re-signing of the clean start agreement in the ACT Assembly, there were religious and community leaders present, including Imam Adam Konda, Canberra Islamic institution; archpriest Father Ilija Dragosavljevic, Serbian Orthodox Church; Diana Abdel-Rahman, President, Australian Muslim Voice; and Bishop Pat Power, retired Roman Catholic bishop. I wonder if he has spoken to those people or the 16 cleaning contractors who re-signed the clean start agreement. And I wonder whether he has spoken to Canberra cleaner Chris Wagland, who says:
I’ve been a cleaner for 29 years. I work to provide for my three sons and their futures. I take pride in my job and want to be supported to do it properly.
Before Clean Start, the industry hit rock bottom. Things were really tough for cleaners like me. We were under more and more pressure. It became impossible to do the job well. That’s when I decided enough was enough.
What’s changed the most since Clean Start is the attitude. Cleaners have more self-worth and more confidence about what they do. I get more money, which is good, but the job security that goes with it is the most important.
My supervisors had their doubts, but they have come on side. They see the benefits of a win-win situation. With Clean Start, contractors can get work at a reasonable price without being undercut by dodgy contractors.
I’m proud of what we have achieved. We can’t go back. Clean Start is the future for our industry …
Perhaps Mr Wall might like to go and speak to the cleaners who clean the Assembly, who are also employed under the clean start agreement, or the contractor, who is a clean start employer. They see the benefits of providing their workers with decent wages and conditions, being an employer of choice because people choose to work for an employer that does the right thing by its employees.
With regard to Mr Smyth’s amendment, I note at (a) he talks about “a legacy of high-cost and low productivity as a result of Labor’s industrial relations policies”. The answer to that from the Canberra Liberals is: “The solution is to let us pay them in coal.” It is pretty clear from the real-world evidence that stripping conditions from low paid workers does not increase productivity, and it is really sad to see that the Canberra Liberals are still banging on that drum.
The Fair Work Amendment Bill directly affects businesses, employees, the ACT economy and the broader community. It is vitally important that members of the Canberra community are made aware of some of the changes that this bill will have and the effect that it has on their lives.
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