❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health about the legitimacy of a nurses' enterprise bargaining agreement reached during the election period, suggesting it violated caretaker conventions. The Minister defends the agreement and denies impropriety.
AnsweredQoN 56Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NURSES —
ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT — DEPARTMENT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET
56. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Is it not true that the pressure
that the minister felt up to the time he described as ''illegitimate''
was because Peter Conran was ordered to do the deal with the union during the
election period contrary to the caretaker conventions?
ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT — DEPARTMENT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET
56. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Is it not true that the pressure
that the minister felt up to the time he described as ''illegitimate''
was because Peter Conran was ordered to do the deal with the union during the
election period contrary to the caretaker conventions?
AnswerView source ↗
I am not aware that it was contrary
to the caretaker conventions. Agreement was reached. I have already made
comments that I should not be talking about this because it is before the
Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission, but the reality is that a
deal was struck. The view —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order now for the third
time. If you shout out again, you will be asked to leave the chamber.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Carry on now, minister.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I get two words out; I am really trying.
The deal was struck with the nurses.
It is the view of government that that deal incorporated those things that the
nurses' union is now seeking to say should be extra. Our view is that
it was part of the deal of the 14 per cent that was agreed on. That is what is
being argued before the commission. We now need to await the outcome of that
decision. There is nothing improper about the way those negotiations were done.
The health department is putting forward the view that lives were at risk
because of that strike, which was taken contrary to the orders of the
commission. Industrial action was still taken and the health department
expressed the view that that was putting lives at risk, and hence an agreement
was reached.
to the caretaker conventions. Agreement was reached. I have already made
comments that I should not be talking about this because it is before the
Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission, but the reality is that a
deal was struck. The view —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order now for the third
time. If you shout out again, you will be asked to leave the chamber.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Carry on now, minister.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I get two words out; I am really trying.
The deal was struck with the nurses.
It is the view of government that that deal incorporated those things that the
nurses' union is now seeking to say should be extra. Our view is that
it was part of the deal of the 14 per cent that was agreed on. That is what is
being argued before the commission. We now need to await the outcome of that
decision. There is nothing improper about the way those negotiations were done.
The health department is putting forward the view that lives were at risk
because of that strike, which was taken contrary to the orders of the
commission. Industrial action was still taken and the health department
expressed the view that that was putting lives at risk, and hence an agreement
was reached.
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