❓ Mr. Logan questions the impact of Labor's industrial relations reforms on WA's economy, citing Liberal Party concerns. Mr. Kobelke defends the reforms, presenting economic data to support their positive impact.
AnsweredQoN 519Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I draw the minister’s attention to a report in The West Australian today in which the Liberal Party continues to claim that Labor’s industrial relations reforms will cost jobs and undermine the State’s economy. Is there any evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s industrial relations reforms on the Western Australian economy? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
There is evidence of the impact of the Gallop Government’s policies and industrial relations is a part of that - Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mrs C.L. Edwardes: I do not think so. Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The evidence exists, but the trouble for the Opposition is that it does not support its case. The Opposition has talked long and loud about the Government ruining the economy by giving workers a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. However, the Government is giving workers the basis of decent conditions. The labour productivity figures for 2001-02 - the first full year of the Gallop Government - reveal that WA has gone back to being the best of all the States. We now lead New South Wales because labour productivity in Western Australia is $42.52 gross state product per hour worked. Clearly Western Australia’s productivity is at the top of the pile across the States under the Gallop Government. In 2001-02 the state economy grew by 5.7 percent. I remind members that in the last year of the Liberal coalition Government, the State’s economy shrunk by 1.2 per cent; therefore, there has been a major turnaround in the economic growth of this State. In the December quarter, the State’s domestic growth grew by 5.5 per cent. Last month’s employment figures reveal that unemployment fell from six per cent to 5.4 per cent. The major economic indicators reveal that people are better off under the Gallop Government’s industrial relations system, which tries to provide decent protection for ordinary workers. That does not surprise us, because we argued long and hard in opposition, and when we introduced our legislation, that a cooperative collective approach was much better for workers and the economy. It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
It is very interesting that on 12 February, the World Bank issued a report titled “Unions and Collective Bargaining: Economic Effects in a Global Environment”. The report found that both workers and businesses were better off economically under a collective bargaining system. It also found that workers who belonged to trade unions earned higher wages, worked fewer hours, received more training and had longer job tenure on average than their non-unionised counterparts. The situation is not better just for employees. The report by the World Bank also pointed out that higher unionisation rates lead to lower inequality, improved economic performance through lower unemployment and inflation, and higher productivity and speedier adjustment to economic shocks. In its findings, the World Bank clearly agrees with the Gallop Government in wanting a decent industrial relations system that looks after workers and creates the productivity for businesses to do better rather than that of the Liberal Party, which is a dog-eat-dog world in which good businesses are undermined by cowboys who will not maintain decent standards. That is what the Liberals offer - it is no way forward for Western Australia.
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