❓ Opposition questions the Premier on industrial relations reforms, citing widespread industrial action and a failure of leadership. The Premier defends the reforms, highlighting wage increases and economic growth, and accuses the opposition of hypocrisy.
AnsweredQoN 1027Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Gallop Labor Government’s position as outlined in the press release of the Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection of 18 January 2002, which states - Labor’s planned landmark reforms in industrial relations would provide a springboard for harmony and greater productivity. (1) Given that Western Australia is now being disrupted by industrial action and threat of action involving police, teachers, public servants, power workers and construction workers, does the Premier concede that his failure to show leadership and manage these disputes has in fact created widespread industrial relations chaos? (2) Will the Premier now concede that with the State facing industrial action on five fronts, Labor’s approach to industrial relations has created disunity and disappointment rather than harmony and greater productivity? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
(2) Will the Premier now concede that with the State facing industrial action on five fronts, Labor’s approach to industrial relations has created disunity and disappointment rather than harmony and greater productivity? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
(1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
(2) Will the Premier now concede that with the State facing industrial action on five fronts, Labor’s approach to industrial relations has created disunity and disappointment rather than harmony and greater productivity? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
(1)-(2) The answer to the last question is no. I believe that the industrial relations reforms that went through this Parliament and that are embodied in the policies and programs of this Government are very good reforms. They mean, first, that we now have more fairness in our community. I refer members to the $80 increase in the minimum wage. Many very low-income workers in Western Australia have had a much-justified $80 increase in their salary. That is money that they can take home to their families, and it is money that they now have available to spend that they did not have available to them under the Liberal Government. Secondly, I point to the fact that at the moment Western Australia has historically low levels of industrial disputation, a very high rate of economic growth and a high level of business investment. I turn now to the public sector. It is true that we are having a disagreement at the moment with some of our public sector workers about the wages and conditions that they should enjoy. I thought the Opposition would be supporting the Government in its efforts to make sure that we manage our budget properly, but then again when I ask a question like that I think I can find the answer to it. When members opposite were in government, they had deficits all the time, so perhaps it does not matter to them that we need to manage the budget properly. However, to us it does matter. The reason it matters is, firstly, we must sustain our financial position into the future and, secondly, we must make sure we have capacity to spend on infrastructure. The best way we can do that in our system is to have a good surplus in the operating account. Yes, there are some differences currently in public sector wages. However, I would have thought the Opposition would support the Government in its defence of the public interest in these matters. I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
I was quite interested in the evasive comments made by the member for Kalgoorlie and the shadow Minister for Education and Training when they were asked where they stood on the question of police wages and the claims that have been made. We are a serious Government that is dedicated to financial responsibility, to budgets that can be sustained into the future and to fairness in industrial relations. That is the philosophy we are bringing to these issues.
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