Page 2550 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 13 October 1992
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992
Debate resumed from 13 August 1992, on motion by Mr Berry:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR DE DOMENICO (4.12): Madam Speaker, let me say from the outset that the Liberal Party supports, along with other motherhood statements that we hear from time to time from various people in various places, the concept of a safe and healthy workplace. Let us get that on the record, lest we are accused of shoving workers out into the cold and not considering their welfare. Having said that, though, Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party will not be supporting this amendment introduced by Mr Berry.
There seems to be an incessant need by the ALP Government to regulate anything and everything that moves. This inclination to regulation has dramatically increased the cost of doing business in the ACT. There can be no doubt about that. The latest proposed amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act is a case in point.
Mr Berry: Tony, your nose is growing longer.
MR DE DOMENICO: I will disregard those stupid comments coming from Mr Berry, especially. The amendment, if successful, Madam Speaker, will serve absolutely no purpose at all in improving the safety of ACT workers. All it does, in fact, is create another layer of unwanted regulation by requiring the formation of designated work groups in workplaces with 10 or more employees. Previously it was 20 or more employees.
Mr Berry does not provide any real substantiation for the amendment, beyond stating a cost reduction in premiums and a supposed reduction in accidents since the introduction of the principal legislation. The most potent point in his speech involved a gas explosion in Turkey. I did not realise, Madam Speaker, that Turkey was covered by the current Act. Perhaps Mr Berry knows something that I do not. Someone might want to comment on that last statement. I am not saying that because it is the first thing that comes off the top of my head. I will quote from this letter from the Insurance Council of Australia, a body representing all the insurance companies. There are some 13 or 14 private sector insurers competing for the workers compensation premium in the ACT.
Mr Lamont: Didn't you represent them in the past?
MR DE DOMENICO: I did, Mr Lamont, for many years represent the insurance industry. At least you may recall that and perhaps acknowledge that I know what I am talking about. Thank you for that interjection, by the way. I met with the Insurance Council of Australia and said, "Listen, is it true that your workers compensation premiums are a result of all sorts of things?". I did not recall that, after having represented them for many years. Anyway, I quote, Madam Speaker. This letter says:
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