❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier about wage disparities between CFMEU workers on government projects and WA Police officers. The Premier denies the allegation and accuses the opposition of not supporting fair wages and safe working conditions.
AnsweredQoN 508Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR WAGES POLICY
508. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the opinion editorial by
Mick Buchan in The West Australian yesterday. He stated —
Good wages and conditions help attract
and retain workers in our industry during a skills shortage and cost-of-living
crisis.
Can the Premier explain why this
year his government will allow a 25 per cent increase for Construction,
Forestry, Mining and Energy Union workers on government projects, yet offer Western
Australia Police Force officers only a five per cent wage increase?
508. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the opinion editorial by
Mick Buchan in The West Australian yesterday. He stated —
Good wages and conditions help attract
and retain workers in our industry during a skills shortage and cost-of-living
crisis.
Can the Premier explain why this
year his government will allow a 25 per cent increase for Construction,
Forestry, Mining and Energy Union workers on government projects, yet offer Western
Australia Police Force officers only a five per cent wage increase?
AnswerView source ↗
This is not the first time the
Leader of the Liberal Party has raised this allegation. Quite frankly it is
wrong, and if Mick Buchan says that good wages and conditions attract workers
to good industries, I find it very hard to disagree with that statement. I can
only assume that the member for Vasse is referring to traffic management
individuals who were left high and dry as a result
of a company going out of business. The Minister for Transport, working with the government and industry, sought to secure those jobs and make sure that
they were secured at a decent rate. If the Leader of the Liberal Party's
critique is that people should not be given a fair day's pay for a fair
day's work, I am happy for her to hold that view. We believe that
workers deserve fair pay and conditions and the right to get home at the end of the day free of injury and, of
course, we want their families to not feel a loss by that person not returning
home at all. That is the reason we have a range of things such as the WorkSafe Western
Australia Commissioner and unions—to make sure that they keep people
safe in the workplace.
That is the difference between them
and us. We think workers should have a say in their workplaces to make them
safe and make sure that workers get a fair wage and fair conditions. If that is
not the position of those opposite, they
should make that clear to the people of Western Australia—that they do
not care if their workplaces are unsafe , if people are ripped off in the
workplace, or if people do not have a voice about the way their lives are
impacted by their workplace conditions. If that is the member's
position, be honest with the people of Western Australia. Be under no illusion,
we will remind them in the lead-up to the next election.
Leader of the Liberal Party has raised this allegation. Quite frankly it is
wrong, and if Mick Buchan says that good wages and conditions attract workers
to good industries, I find it very hard to disagree with that statement. I can
only assume that the member for Vasse is referring to traffic management
individuals who were left high and dry as a result
of a company going out of business. The Minister for Transport, working with the government and industry, sought to secure those jobs and make sure that
they were secured at a decent rate. If the Leader of the Liberal Party's
critique is that people should not be given a fair day's pay for a fair
day's work, I am happy for her to hold that view. We believe that
workers deserve fair pay and conditions and the right to get home at the end of the day free of injury and, of
course, we want their families to not feel a loss by that person not returning
home at all. That is the reason we have a range of things such as the WorkSafe Western
Australia Commissioner and unions—to make sure that they keep people
safe in the workplace.
That is the difference between them
and us. We think workers should have a say in their workplaces to make them
safe and make sure that workers get a fair wage and fair conditions. If that is
not the position of those opposite, they
should make that clear to the people of Western Australia—that they do
not care if their workplaces are unsafe , if people are ripped off in the
workplace, or if people do not have a voice about the way their lives are
impacted by their workplace conditions. If that is the member's
position, be honest with the people of Western Australia. Be under no illusion,
we will remind them in the lead-up to the next election.
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