❓ Mr Trenorden asks about the impact of abolishing workplace agreements on small businesses. Mr Cowan defends workplace agreements, citing surveys showing support for them and criticising the Opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 243Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
What impact will the abolition of workplace agreements have on small business? Mr COWAN
AnswerView source ↗
I assume the member for Avon is asking the question because of his concern about the clear indication by the Opposition that, should it be successful at the next poll, workplace agreements will be replaced by employer-employee agreements. One of the interesting facts about small business is that it now employs 48 per cent of the entire work force in Western Australia. I assume the member’s question has been couched with that in mind and the fact that small business has been growing in Western Australia at double the rate of the national average. It is important to small business employers, who make an important contribution to the economy of this State. It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr COWAN replied: I assume the member for Avon is asking the question because of his concern about the clear indication by the Opposition that, should it be successful at the next poll, workplace agreements will be replaced by employer-employee agreements. One of the interesting facts about small business is that it now employs 48 per cent of the entire work force in Western Australia. I assume the member’s question has been couched with that in mind and the fact that small business has been growing in Western Australia at double the rate of the national average. It is important to small business employers, who make an important contribution to the economy of this State. It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
I assume the member for Avon is asking the question because of his concern about the clear indication by the Opposition that, should it be successful at the next poll, workplace agreements will be replaced by employer-employee agreements. One of the interesting facts about small business is that it now employs 48 per cent of the entire work force in Western Australia. I assume the member’s question has been couched with that in mind and the fact that small business has been growing in Western Australia at double the rate of the national average. It is important to small business employers, who make an important contribution to the economy of this State. It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr COWAN replied: I assume the member for Avon is asking the question because of his concern about the clear indication by the Opposition that, should it be successful at the next poll, workplace agreements will be replaced by employer-employee agreements. One of the interesting facts about small business is that it now employs 48 per cent of the entire work force in Western Australia. I assume the member’s question has been couched with that in mind and the fact that small business has been growing in Western Australia at double the rate of the national average. It is important to small business employers, who make an important contribution to the economy of this State. It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
I assume the member for Avon is asking the question because of his concern about the clear indication by the Opposition that, should it be successful at the next poll, workplace agreements will be replaced by employer-employee agreements. One of the interesting facts about small business is that it now employs 48 per cent of the entire work force in Western Australia. I assume the member’s question has been couched with that in mind and the fact that small business has been growing in Western Australia at double the rate of the national average. It is important to small business employers, who make an important contribution to the economy of this State. It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
It is also interesting to note that a survey conducted of some 61 small businesses by the West Australian Small Business and Enterprise Association found that more than 60 per cent of those people surveyed wanted to retain workplace agreements and did not want any changes. Members should acknowledge that workplace agreements have become widely accepted in the community, because they give employers and employees the direct ability to negotiate with each other their worth and their ability to continue working in harmony. Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr Marlborough: What a load of nonsense! Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
Mr COWAN: No, it is not. I am familiar with the survey that was conducted by a major international company in the Pilbara, because I wanted some confirmation that the 60 per cent was a representative figure. That company told me that the survey it conducted of its employees indicated that more than 70 per cent would prefer to continue with workplace agreements. They are very concerned that, on one hand, the Leader of the Opposition is telling the union movement that it will abolish workplace agreements but, on the other hand, it is telling the management of companies, particularly those in the north west, that they can continue with their present arrangements because, even though the Labor Party has an arrangement with the unions, when it gets into government it might change its mind.
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