Page 818 - Week 03 - Thursday, 25 March 1993
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Those three factors play an important role in bringing down workers compensation premium rates. Business will profit as a result. If, as the Liberals say, every saving means a job, we should see more employment as a result. But, in any event, there will be more investment and more profit to business. A comparison of the last five financial years shows that the overall average actual premium rate has dropped each year, from 4.09 per cent in 1987-88 to 1.98 per cent last financial year. I think everybody would agree that that is significant.
Not only has the actual premium rate come down each year but, as I have indicated in the past, occupational areas have fallen also. I think I pointed out to you yesterday, Mr De Domenico, when you made some outrageous claim about the effect of occupational health and safety legislation in the tourism industry, that hotel and motel rates have come down as well. So, what a silly claim! I can see why you have been shoved out of the road on this matter. You make silly statements. As I said this morning during the debate on the boxing legislation, if the boxing legislation had applied to the fighting in the Liberal Party you would have got a fairer deal, I am sure, and some of those underhand things that you seem to have had done to you might not have happened. In the boxing legislation it is quite clear that there is no stabbing in the back; so we might have been able to tidy up the messy fight in the Liberal Party.
In any event, Madam Speaker, I think it is important for the community to be aware that there is activity in the workers compensation premium rates area. Rates are coming down and falling rates will continue to be fostered by us in government because that is important. I think that as time passes by we will also improve the coverage of workers compensation in order that we can have a safer workplace - so that every worker is entitled to go home in the condition in which he went to work.
Mr De Domenico: Hear, hear!
MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico says, "Hear, hear!". He was amongst those people who supported the closing down of Worksafe Australia. The Liberals supported closing down Worksafe Australia, Madam Speaker. Fancy Mr De Domenico saying, "Hear, hear!". How shameful! How could we expect to keep pulling down workers compensation premium rates with those sorts of policies? I am sorry to say that those sorts of policies are dangerous - nothing more or less than dangerous - for ACT workers. So there it is, Madam Speaker. Things are much better under Labor as far as workers compensation is concerned.
Murray-Darling Basin Agreement
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Minister for the Environment or rural affairs, or both, Mr Wood. The Minister would be aware that the ACT has been an observer on the Murray-Darling Basin Commission for six years. Given that the ACT is the largest urban area in the basin and faces significant water catchment management problems from some of the highest urban growth in the country, when is the Government going to get off the sideline and sign the Murray-Darling basin agreement?
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