Mr Cowper questions the Premier about the disparity between the high salary of the FESA CEO and the low wages of WA firefighters. The Premier acknowledges the firefighters' presence and ongoing pay negotiations, highlighting the government's support for independent arbitration.

AnsweredQoN 381Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 June 2006
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITY - OFFICER REMUNERATION
As the remainder of the 580 firefighters file into the gallery, I will ask a question of the Premier. Can the Premier explain why the WA CEO of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority is among the highest paid chiefs in Australia and yet presides over a force of firefighters who are the lowest paid in the country? Mr A.J. CARPENTER

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for Murray for the question. I also recognise the firefighters who are in the gallery and I commend them on the way in which they are conducting themselves while they are in the gallery. I think it is good to make a point like that. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Murray for the question. I also recognise the firefighters who are in the gallery and I commend them on the way in which they are conducting themselves while they are in the gallery. I think it is good to make a point like that. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
I thank the member for Murray for the question. I also recognise the firefighters who are in the gallery and I commend them on the way in which they are conducting themselves while they are in the gallery. I think it is good to make a point like that. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The way in which they are going about their show of protest today is an example of the great discipline that they have and the way in which they are professional in their everyday working lives. Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.
Negotiations are on foot at the moment to deliver a pay rise to the firefighters of Western Australia. Those negotiations will continue. I have an expectation that they will be ultimately resolved amicably and with the best outcome that is possible. A couple of points are worth making. If those negotiations do not result in a mutually agreeable situation, there is the opportunity to go to arbitration. We have an independent assessor - an independent umpire - who would make a judgment and a ruling on the various claims. It is only because members on this side of the house support that model that that opportunity for independent adjudication exists. It is very interesting to note that although members on the other side of the Parliament are supporting the firefighters in their action today, they are also supporting an industrial relations regime that would tear away the independent arbitrator and tear away the industrial relations system as we know it today, and leave men and women like the firefighters of Western Australia with no guaranteed minimum wages and conditions. That is the reality.

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