❓ A WA parliamentary question probes a potential discrepancy in the Minister for Small Business's statements regarding an agreement to bring skilled migrant meatworkers to WA. The Minister denies misleading Parliament.
AnsweredQoN 775Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
meat processing industry - skilled migrant meatworkers
On Wednesday, 13 September the minister answered a question relating to an emergency agreement to bring 150 skilled migrant meatworkers to Western Australia to avert a crisis in the meat processing industry. The minister said that the state government had not received an agreement from the federal government that was ready for signing. On Thursday, 14 September I asked whether the government had received a draft agreement from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs on 3 August 2006 which, subject to state approval, would be actioned expeditiously. The minister advised that he did not have sufficient information to answer the question. On Friday morning the Minister for Small Business announced that he had signed off on the emergency agreement and that the matter was now in the hands of the federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. (1) Did the minister intentionally mislead the Parliament? (2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST
On Wednesday, 13 September the minister answered a question relating to an emergency agreement to bring 150 skilled migrant meatworkers to Western Australia to avert a crisis in the meat processing industry. The minister said that the state government had not received an agreement from the federal government that was ready for signing. On Thursday, 14 September I asked whether the government had received a draft agreement from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs on 3 August 2006 which, subject to state approval, would be actioned expeditiously. The minister advised that he did not have sufficient information to answer the question. On Friday morning the Minister for Small Business announced that he had signed off on the emergency agreement and that the matter was now in the hands of the federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. (1) Did the minister intentionally mislead the Parliament? (2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(1) Did the minister intentionally mislead the Parliament? (2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(1) Did the minister intentionally mislead the Parliament? (2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(2) Will the minister explain the discrepancy of his response to questions asked in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 September and Thursday, 14 September, and his statement on Friday morning? Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
Hon Kim Chance : There is no discrepancy. You have inputted something that is incorrect. The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
The PRESIDENT : Before I invite an answer to the question, I should point out that part of the question is out of order; namely, that which makes an allegation of misleading the house. Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Small Business has supplied the following response - (1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(1) I have not misled Parliament. (2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
(2) There is no agreement on terms and conditions. My comments, as quoted on ABC radio on Friday, 15 September, were, at 6.30 am - It’s now purely with Amanda Vanstone and I would imagine if DIMA are satisfied that proper wages and conditions are going to apply to these industries, we should see this matter resolved fairly quickly. At 7.01 am - The Federal Government will want to be convinced, with this industry’s history that everything is in place and proper. At 7.46 am - If workers are going to be treated fairly and that’s been our only concern, they’re going to be treated the equal of Australian workers, I would imagine the process will go ahead as normal.
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