❓ Question regarding the implications for WA of the Howard government's proposal to take over the state's industrial relations system, with the Minister expressing concerns about reduced pay, employment conditions, and workplace safety.
AnsweredQoN 103Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
My question is to the Minister for Consumer and Employment Protection. Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : I bet he wrote it for you. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : Sorry? Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : I bet he wrote it for you. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : Sorry? Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : Sorry? Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : I bet he wrote it for you. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : Sorry? Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : Sorry? Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : It’s all right, go on. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : You are scared to take him on! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : The member for Peel has the call. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I do not know what the member said, but there are some interesting interpretations of what was said on this side of the house. Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.B. D’Orazio : She is blushing as well. Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr N.R. MARLBOROUGH : I bet she is. Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Will the minister comment on the implications for Western Australia of the Howard government’s proposal to take over the state’s industrial relations system? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
I thank the member for the question. The answer is that it is very worrying. It is pleasing that the Leader of the Opposition has also recognised, although perhaps somewhat belatedly, the threat to Western Australia by the Howard move to take over industrial relations, and we welcome the opposition joining us in opposing that attempt. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : The way in which the question was framed made it sound as though the member was asking for an opinion. He asked the minister how he saw the matter and so on. I seek your guidance, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : It went close to doing that, but the minister seems to be handling it as a question. Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Several members interjected. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.C. KOBELKE : Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had reached the stage of thanking the Leader of the Opposition when the member who sits next to him suggested that I should not be talking about the Leader of the Opposition supporting the government in trying to resist the Howard push to take over industrial relations in Western Australia. The federal government’s move would mean reduced pay and employment conditions for people in Western Australia. The economy of our state is doing extremely well. The benefits of that wealth creation should flow through to the ordinary people who create that wealth. We do not want a push from the Howard government to reduce those conditions. Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. Buswell interjected The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : It would also mean a reduction in employment security. The real worry with the Howard proposal is that health and safety in the workplace would be reduced. If people felt that their job was insecure and that they would be threatened with being discharged if they were to raise an issue, for which they would have no redress under the federal system, they would not speak up when real health and safety issues needed to be dealt with. Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Is that why there are thousands and thousands of Australian workplace agreements? Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : I will take the interjection. Under the last Liberal government there was a huge flight of people from the state system to the federal system. Since then there has been a much smaller move towards workplace agreements. I do not want to take too much time in responding to the interjection, so I will not go down that road. I am sure that there will be an opportunity to debate that point at another time. The real concern is that the federal industrial relations system is a second-rate system and is far more expensive than the state system. Disputes go on for a lot longer under the federal system. We do not want a second-rate system to undermine the economic development of this state. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Vasse to order for the first time.
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