❓ A parliamentary question reveals the Minister for Commerce was unaware of the scrapping of the Pay Equity Unit within his department. The Minister claims to have instructed the director general to reinstate the unit upon learning of its removal.
AnsweredQoN 725Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PAY EQUITY UNIT — DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
(1) Is it true that the minister was unaware until this week that his department had scrapped its pay equity unit in June? (2) Did the department not provide the minister with a briefing note or even verbal advice on the matter before proceeding? (3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
(1) Is it true that the minister was unaware until this week that his department had scrapped its pay equity unit in June? (2) Did the department not provide the minister with a briefing note or even verbal advice on the matter before proceeding? (3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(2) Did the department not provide the minister with a briefing note or even verbal advice on the matter before proceeding? (3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(2) Did the department not provide the minister with a briefing note or even verbal advice on the matter before proceeding? (3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(3) Could it be the case that the minister is not coping with his workload, and is not on top of significant changes in his own department? (4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(4) Was it a cost-cutting measure; and, if not, why was the office scrapped? (5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(5) Does the minister agree that the issue of equal pay for women is important; and, if so, when will he reinstate the office? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
I thank the member for her question. (1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
(1)-(5) I will begin with the last part. I think the issue of equality of pay is important. In 1987 I worked at Murdoch University for six months with Dr Ray Petridis, hardly someone on our side of politics, as most people would agree. Notwithstanding that, I was a researcher with Ray Petridis, and the topic of our research was the impact of the then federal government’s employment policies on the position of women in the Western Australian labour market. It was a very interesting research project, highlighting the concerns about gender pay equity then. I was interested to note that, unfortunately, the disparity in wages has become worse on a variety of measures. This has accelerated over the past 10 years. I do not say that to reflect on any government; that is what has happened. The former government established the gender pay equity unit in the then Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. I would never have supported the abolition of that unit. Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : How did it happen without your knowledge? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : The agency made a decision internally, as I would expect it to do, to arrange its resources to deliver the outcomes it was attempting to achieve for the government. Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Ms M.M. Quirk : Was it the three per cent efficiency dividend? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I assure the member and the house that when we went through the three per cent cut process, which I support entirely, that was never put as a specific area in which any reduction would occur. I just would not have done that. When I found out yesterday that that had happened, I instructed the director general to reinstate the unit. He informed me at that time that the activities of the unit had continued following the removal of the unit’s title, I suppose we could call it, in June. I did not accept that statement. I said that I wanted him to reinstate that unit to give those people the focus within government. We have made absolutely no decisions, and will not make any decisions, to unwind the work that the former government was doing in and around proactive steps to address the pay equity issue in Western Australia—none.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.