Mrs HICKEY - 1995-10-18
On 26 August 1995, almost 2 months ago, the Chief Executive Officer of the Power and Water Authority gave evidence in the Industrial Relations Commission. He was asked:
Is it true that it would be better for the Power and Water Authority to have its own enterprise agreement in
order for these sorts of things and other improvements that are typical, specifically unique to the Power and
Water Authority, to be achieved? Now, I remind you that you are under oath.
The Chief Executive Officer's answer was:
It is my opinion that ultimately there will be benefits from having a separate agreement for the Power and
Water Authority.
Does the minister agree with his Chief Executive Officer?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I could understand how a senior manager, such as the CEO of PAWA, would see benefits in a separate enterprise bargaining agreement, because the whole thrust of an EBA is to have workplace reform in which both management and the workplace agree to cooperate towards that reform.
Mr Bailey: That is what it is all about! It is called modern industrial relations.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: That is right. What we have with PAWA is an offer from management for ways that productivity measures may be achieved, and we are seeking agreement from the workers to achieve them. The workers have rejected completely the productivity measures that management has proposed. That is the impasse that exists in PAWA at present. Whilst no one would disagree with the thrust of an EBA in terms of workplace reform ...
Mr Stirling: Except Cabinet!
Mr BURKE: Do you want to listen or not?
Mr Stirling: No one would disagree.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Whilst no one would disagree with the concept of an enterprise bargaining agreement, first there is a need for cooperation and agreement between management and the workplace. In the case of the Northern Territory, there is the added factor that, regardless of what the CEO of PAWA considers in terms of the authority, the
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Territory government considers the Northern Territory Public Service to be one enterprise. That is a decision the government makes, and we make it taking into consideration the fact that we have to amortise costs and benefits across the whole of the Northern Territory Public Service. In doing so, there are winners and losers in different areas of the workplace but, when the government amortises costs and benefits across the whole of the workplace, we believe that, at the end of the day, everyone benefits to a degree. That is the thrust of the whole-of-government EBA that has been offered. It seeks cooperation from the workplace for productivity measures and, at the same time, offers wage increases and other conditions.
Mr Stirling: You are not interested in resolving this, are you?
Mr Ede: You do not believe this.
Mr BURKE: I do.
Mr Stirling: You are not interested in resolving it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: I am, and what I ...
Mr Bailey: How do they differ from the bus drivers, who have their own agreement?
Mr BURKE: In the case of the bus service, for which I am not responsible, that particular industry is in direct competition with a private contractor and, in that industry, an agreement has been reached between the workplace and the workers.
Mr Bailey: Aren't there any private teachers?
Mr BURKE: In answer to the member's question, I could understand the CEO's motivation if he were asked a question like that. I think no one would disagree with the concept of the EBA, given the way in which the question was put. However, I think I have explained why the government's approach is the best one in the case of PAWA, taking into consideration the authority's circumstances and the government's policy of amortising costs and benefits across the whole of the Northern Territory Public Service.
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Is it true that it would be better for the Power and Water Authority to have its own enterprise agreement in
order for these sorts of things and other improvements that are typical, specifically unique to the Power and
Water Authority, to be achieved? Now, I remind you that you are under oath.
The Chief Executive Officer's answer was:
It is my opinion that ultimately there will be benefits from having a separate agreement for the Power and
Water Authority.
Does the minister agree with his Chief Executive Officer?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I could understand how a senior manager, such as the CEO of PAWA, would see benefits in a separate enterprise bargaining agreement, because the whole thrust of an EBA is to have workplace reform in which both management and the workplace agree to cooperate towards that reform.
Mr Bailey: That is what it is all about! It is called modern industrial relations.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: That is right. What we have with PAWA is an offer from management for ways that productivity measures may be achieved, and we are seeking agreement from the workers to achieve them. The workers have rejected completely the productivity measures that management has proposed. That is the impasse that exists in PAWA at present. Whilst no one would disagree with the thrust of an EBA in terms of workplace reform ...
Mr Stirling: Except Cabinet!
Mr BURKE: Do you want to listen or not?
Mr Stirling: No one would disagree.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Whilst no one would disagree with the concept of an enterprise bargaining agreement, first there is a need for cooperation and agreement between management and the workplace. In the case of the Northern Territory, there is the added factor that, regardless of what the CEO of PAWA considers in terms of the authority, the
Page 894
Territory government considers the Northern Territory Public Service to be one enterprise. That is a decision the government makes, and we make it taking into consideration the fact that we have to amortise costs and benefits across the whole of the Northern Territory Public Service. In doing so, there are winners and losers in different areas of the workplace but, when the government amortises costs and benefits across the whole of the workplace, we believe that, at the end of the day, everyone benefits to a degree. That is the thrust of the whole-of-government EBA that has been offered. It seeks cooperation from the workplace for productivity measures and, at the same time, offers wage increases and other conditions.
Mr Stirling: You are not interested in resolving this, are you?
Mr Ede: You do not believe this.
Mr BURKE: I do.
Mr Stirling: You are not interested in resolving it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: I am, and what I ...
Mr Bailey: How do they differ from the bus drivers, who have their own agreement?
Mr BURKE: In the case of the bus service, for which I am not responsible, that particular industry is in direct competition with a private contractor and, in that industry, an agreement has been reached between the workplace and the workers.
Mr Bailey: Aren't there any private teachers?
Mr BURKE: In answer to the member's question, I could understand the CEO's motivation if he were asked a question like that. I think no one would disagree with the concept of the EBA, given the way in which the question was put. However, I think I have explained why the government's approach is the best one in the case of PAWA, taking into consideration the authority's circumstances and the government's policy of amortising costs and benefits across the whole of the Northern Territory Public Service.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016