Page 107 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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I think that the quarrel over the secure local jobs code has simply highlighted the differences between the political parties in this Assembly. Issues concerning workers’ health and safety and workers’ rights come up regularly in this Assembly, and they always highlight a point of difference between the political parties in this place. Over many years it has become clear that the Liberal Party hold a different view about the rights of Canberra’s workers to be paid, to take breaks, to enjoy their entitlements and to work in safety. Measures to improve these rights have always been met with opposition by the Liberal Party.
A few examples I will note, apart from opposing the secure local jobs code, include: the Canberra Liberals have also opposed the extension of the portable long service leave to insecure industries such as security and aged care. The Canberra Liberals opposed the harmonised work, health and safety regime in the ACT, a significant reform to improve health and safety for working people in the territory. It seems clear that they see workers through a different lens and that principles such as fair pay, leave entitlements and safety could be sacrificed to meet other goals.
In relation to the secure local jobs code, the Greens have said in the Assembly before that we would like to see a phase 2 of this project. The package is to ensure that the government awards contracts only to businesses that meet high ethical and labour standards. The question of what high ethical standards means is a really interesting one. A second tranche of this project should examine procurement issues and include issues such as fair trade, modern slavery and human trafficking in supply chains, Indigenous employment, procurement from disability-led organisations, social enterprises, and sustainability and climate change factors.
I would also like to acknowledge that there are many less fortunate people in Canberra for whom the holiday period can be a very difficult time. The Christmas-new year period can be a period of heightened unhappiness for people who are experiencing homelessness and, while I acknowledge that there is a specific Christmas program for those escaping family violence at this time, those for whom family violence is not the issue, nonetheless, are at a crisis point and service provision is less than at other times of the year.
The central referral point for homelessness supports and services, otherwise known as OneLink, is closed for some of this period, as is the Early Morning Centre which is a place where those who are homeless can get a meal or take a shower. I would also like to note that, given our high temperatures in Canberra over the Christmas period, it has become more of an issue of shelter being required because it is simply too hot to be outside some of the time.
While we acknowledge those who work through the summer break, spare a thought for those less fortunate—those who do not have a job and those who do not even have a home—because, for them, this time of the year is a bleak time, devoid of services and with limited options to access the supports they need.
Lastly, in relation to Ms Cody’s motion, I would like to raise the issue of the people who worked in the summer heat. January 2019 was the ACT’s hottest January on
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