Mr MITCHELL - 1996-11-28
Is the minister aware of calls by the Australian Services Union for the sacking of Tennant Creek Town Council? If so, what does he intend to do about it?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am aware of a recent press release from the Australian Services Union relating to the Tennant Creek Town Council in which it called for its sacking. In general terms, I suppose the population of the Northern Territory would support the sacking of a number of town councils. However, it seems this call by the ASU has arisen as a result of a dispute between Tennant Creek Town Council and a former finance officer of the council. I understand that the town council was of the view that the finance officer had not been performing his duties properly and, as a result, took action to dismiss him.
I have in my possession a letter addressed to the Industrial Relations Commission signed by 27 of the 33 employees of Tennant Creek Town Council. I will not table it because they have asked that their names be kept confidential.
Mr Bailey: That has not stopped you in the past.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: I will read it for the benefit of honourable members:
We, the following employees of Tennant Creek Town Council, state that we have not at any stage approached ASU or any
of its representatives to lodge industrial dispute against Tennant Creek Town Council with the Australian Industrial
Relations Commission under section 99, as claimed by Mr Lucio Matarazzo.
We, the undersigned, request the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to instruct the ASU not to interfere
with the internal administration of the council against the wishes of the employees. We are of the view that the ASU
is not acting on behalf of the majority of staff and does not enjoy the support of the majority of its membership.
We confirm that the interference of the ASU in council's internal affairs is costing the staff and management their
valuable time and loss of money for ratepayers. Needless to say, this is creating an undesirable working
relationship with the ASU.
We confirm to the commission that we have complete faith and confidence in the mayor, Paul Ruger, the deputy mayor,
Barry Sharples, the overall council and the CEO, Mr Ali Khan. We believe we can discuss and resolve issues,
if any, by adopting existing internal procedures and not by using the ASU or wasting time and money of the commission
and ratepayers. We also confirm that we have not elected Mr Rick Postrat as our ASU workplace representative, as
claimed by the ASU in its letter of 6 November 1996.
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We request the commission to ask the ASU to give guarantees that, from now onwards, no interference will be attempted
in the workings of Tennant Creek Town Council.
It would seem that, far from the employees of the town council demanding that the council resign en masse or be sacked, far from the employees of Tennant Creek Town Council demanding that the CEO, Mr Ali Khan, be sacked, it seems at least 27 of those 33 employees are satisfied with the performance of Tennant Creek Town Council. With that in view, I intend to pay no heed to the calls by the ASU to sack Tennant Creek Town Council.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am aware of a recent press release from the Australian Services Union relating to the Tennant Creek Town Council in which it called for its sacking. In general terms, I suppose the population of the Northern Territory would support the sacking of a number of town councils. However, it seems this call by the ASU has arisen as a result of a dispute between Tennant Creek Town Council and a former finance officer of the council. I understand that the town council was of the view that the finance officer had not been performing his duties properly and, as a result, took action to dismiss him.
I have in my possession a letter addressed to the Industrial Relations Commission signed by 27 of the 33 employees of Tennant Creek Town Council. I will not table it because they have asked that their names be kept confidential.
Mr Bailey: That has not stopped you in the past.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: I will read it for the benefit of honourable members:
We, the following employees of Tennant Creek Town Council, state that we have not at any stage approached ASU or any
of its representatives to lodge industrial dispute against Tennant Creek Town Council with the Australian Industrial
Relations Commission under section 99, as claimed by Mr Lucio Matarazzo.
We, the undersigned, request the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to instruct the ASU not to interfere
with the internal administration of the council against the wishes of the employees. We are of the view that the ASU
is not acting on behalf of the majority of staff and does not enjoy the support of the majority of its membership.
We confirm that the interference of the ASU in council's internal affairs is costing the staff and management their
valuable time and loss of money for ratepayers. Needless to say, this is creating an undesirable working
relationship with the ASU.
We confirm to the commission that we have complete faith and confidence in the mayor, Paul Ruger, the deputy mayor,
Barry Sharples, the overall council and the CEO, Mr Ali Khan. We believe we can discuss and resolve issues,
if any, by adopting existing internal procedures and not by using the ASU or wasting time and money of the commission
and ratepayers. We also confirm that we have not elected Mr Rick Postrat as our ASU workplace representative, as
claimed by the ASU in its letter of 6 November 1996.
Page 1863
We request the commission to ask the ASU to give guarantees that, from now onwards, no interference will be attempted
in the workings of Tennant Creek Town Council.
It would seem that, far from the employees of the town council demanding that the council resign en masse or be sacked, far from the employees of Tennant Creek Town Council demanding that the CEO, Mr Ali Khan, be sacked, it seems at least 27 of those 33 employees are satisfied with the performance of Tennant Creek Town Council. With that in view, I intend to pay no heed to the calls by the ASU to sack Tennant Creek Town Council.
Page 1864
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016