Page 2798 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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Ms Maher: It was asked for by the community. The community wanted it.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MS FOLLETT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I repeat that there has been a change of government; and it is my view, as the head of the new Government, that the existing Women's Consultative Council is the correct forum for that work to be done at the local level. If, as I say, they were to tell me that there is a need for another body, then obviously I would review that decision. But at the moment that is the way I will proceed.
ACTION - Meal Allowances
MR STEFANIAK: My question is to the Minister for Urban Services. Mr Connolly, the Auditor-General's Report No. 1 identified illegal meal allowances being paid to certain ACTION staff, and it stated that ACTION was not taking any steps to remedy the situation. Can the Minister assure the Assembly that ACTION is no longer making illegal payments of this kind or of any other kind to its employees?
MR CONNOLLY: I can certainly assure the Assembly that the Auditor-General's report has been brought to the attention of ACTION. I understand that there is a longstanding issue as to meal allowances that have been paid to drivers over successive governments. ACTION is in the process of talking with the Transport Workers Union with a view to rationalising work practices and making savings where appropriate. In the past week I have been on record on one occasion as saying that I thought that ACTION had done something precipitately and should have consulted before they did it; and also that the TWU had done something precipitately with a ban on Monday night and that they should have consulted before they did it. So, I am encouraging both ACTION management and the Transport Workers Union to sit down and proceed to go through these things.
It was interesting to note in Saturday's media the very clear statement from Mr Peter Schulz, who is acting secretary of the Transport Workers Union, that his union does not condone bludgers - I think that was the term he used - or people who break the law. It was a colourful turn of phrase, no doubt provoked by a question, which was not printed, from the Canberra Times journalist. So, the Transport Workers Union is equally aware of these issues. My brief to ACTION management is to sit down and negotiate these issues with the Transport Workers Union, and I understand that that is occurring.
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