Mr MILLS - 2007-02-15
A considerable number of workers on the waterfront development site are engaged under an AWA. Do you believe that they should be forced to move to a collective agreement or award conditions? If that is the case, why did you, as a consortium partner, allow them to be employed in this way? If not minister, can you explain whether or not the Territory Labor government does support AWAs, giving employees and employers the flexibility needed in today’s workplace?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there are two issues here. The first is the Territory government does not employ workers on the waterfront development; we are not the direct employers of any of those workers. I am advised that of the five consortia partners on the waterfront, four consortia partners engage their workforce through a registered enterprise agreement. One uses AWAs, which they are entitled to do under Commonwealth employment laws that provide them with that option.
What we are saying, as the Northern Territory government, is that we do not believe that AWAs should be used to strip away wages and conditions of Territory workers. In relation to the long service issue, I do not know why this is such a difficult issue for the County Liberal Party. I would have thought they could have come in here and supported the Northern Territory government saying: ‘Put the floor back in for everyone in the Northern Territory for long service leave’ because the peak business body …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: This is so how out of touch they are with peak groups in the Northern Territory. The . The policy of the Chamber of Commerce, to to their members is:
The peak employment business lobby group in the Northern Territory does not believe that AWAs should be used to reduce or extinguish laws. The Territory government does not believe that is the case. It used to be the will of this Territory parliament. Workers in the Territory have had minimum entitlements to long service leave going back to 1965 …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This goes to the point of relevance in reference to the question about this minister, as a consortium partner, supporting the notion of AWAs on a waterfront development in which they are partners. He is the minister for Employment. Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, there is no point of order. Minister, continue to answer the question as closely as possible to the …
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I thought I had answered that part of the question.
The position of the Northern Territory government is that we do not believe employers should use AWAs to reduce conditions and entitlements of Northern Territory workers - full stop. We do not employ people directly on the waterfront. Of the five consortia partners on the waterfront, four have registered enterprise agreements; one does not, as they are entitled to do under Commonwealth law.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there are two issues here. The first is the Territory government does not employ workers on the waterfront development; we are not the direct employers of any of those workers. I am advised that of the five consortia partners on the waterfront, four consortia partners engage their workforce through a registered enterprise agreement. One uses AWAs, which they are entitled to do under Commonwealth employment laws that provide them with that option.
What we are saying, as the Northern Territory government, is that we do not believe that AWAs should be used to strip away wages and conditions of Territory workers. In relation to the long service issue, I do not know why this is such a difficult issue for the County Liberal Party. I would have thought they could have come in here and supported the Northern Territory government saying: ‘Put the floor back in for everyone in the Northern Territory for long service leave’ because the peak business body …
Mr Mills interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: This is so how out of touch they are with peak groups in the Northern Territory. The . The policy of the Chamber of Commerce, to to their members is:
- Please note: Chamber policy is that agreements under WorkChoices should not be used to reduce or extinguish long service leave entitlements.
The peak employment business lobby group in the Northern Territory does not believe that AWAs should be used to reduce or extinguish laws. The Territory government does not believe that is the case. It used to be the will of this Territory parliament. Workers in the Territory have had minimum entitlements to long service leave going back to 1965 …
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! This goes to the point of relevance in reference to the question about this minister, as a consortium partner, supporting the notion of AWAs on a waterfront development in which they are partners. He is the minister for Employment. Relevance.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Blain, there is no point of order. Minister, continue to answer the question as closely as possible to the …
Mr HENDERSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker, I thought I had answered that part of the question.
The position of the Northern Territory government is that we do not believe employers should use AWAs to reduce conditions and entitlements of Northern Territory workers - full stop. We do not employ people directly on the waterfront. Of the five consortia partners on the waterfront, four have registered enterprise agreements; one does not, as they are entitled to do under Commonwealth law.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016