Page 2924 - Week 13 - Thursday, 23 November 1989
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Award Restructuring
MR STEFANIAK: My question is directed to the Minister for Industry, Employment and Education. The Government stated in, I believe, its draft budget statement that it would enter into negotiations on condensing 97 industrial awards within the ACT government service to fewer awards. How many awards have been condensed? How have the trade unions reacted to that move? What savings has the Government achieved if it has proceeded at all?
MR WHALAN: It is quite an important issue and it is part of the restructuring process. I would like to give Mr Stefaniak a very detailed response on progress. Negotiations are proceeding with all the unions in relation to award restructuring, but I do not have a progress report on them. Of course, these are not the sorts of things that are achieved overnight. There is a commitment, and we would be very happy to give a detailed report to Mr Stefaniak on that.
Road Upgrading
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. I understand that there has been another accident on the Fairlight and Mountain Creek Road. Minister, in view of the fact that the New South Wales Government has just allocated about a quarter of a million dollars to upgrade the New South Wales section of the road, will you advise whether the ACT Government proposes to upgrade the ACT section of the road, as the residents have advised me that, despite your assurances of 24 October that the road is still "in a good condition", this is not the case?
MRS GRASSBY: Yes, I do know about the road. It is not as bad as a lot of others that we are looking after. It is on the list, and we will get to it. With the amount of money we have available for the roads and, as you cut back our money the other day, I am not quite sure when it is going to be done.
MR JENSEN: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Minister, will you be prepared to meet with representatives of the Fairlight and Mountain Creek Road Action Association to discuss their concerns about the current condition of the road?
MRS GRASSBY: Mr Jensen, I have never refused to meet with anybody. My office door is always open. If they wish to make an appointment, they can see me, just as you or anybody else in the opposition can, when you make an appointment.
Mr Jensen: A simple yes or no will do, Minister.
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