Page 1484 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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Perhaps the Minister, who is chuckling over there, also might like to take this on board. Is it also true that, in accordance with the recommendation of Commissioner Bacon, the two AWU members reported for duty as plant operators? Is it not also true, Minister, that industrial activity, in the form of a picket by CFMEU members using ACT Government equipment, prevented these two men from performing their normal duties? All that might be funny to the Minister; but several pickets, including the one I just referred to, have been conducted against these two men. DELP machinery has been used in pickets at Fyshwick and on land within the DELP depot. Is it correct, Minister, that, although Commissioner Bacon issued a decision on 25 March 1994 rejecting the CFMEU's jurisdictional point - that is, demands by the CFMEU that all plant operators have to be CFMEU members - it was not until Monday, 18 April, that the two remaining workers were allowed partially to return to work? All those are questions that I think the Opposition and this Assembly need to have answered. Is it also correct, Minister, that Commissioner Bacon decided that the AWU is eligible, according to its rules, to enrol plant operators employed by DELP?
Mr Berry: I raise a point of order. I draw members' attention to the problems that they may create by interfering in an industrial dispute which is before the Industrial Relations Commission at this time.
Mr Humphries: There is no point of order.
Mr Berry: If you do not want to exercise caution, if you just want to exacerbate the situation, that is the path you might seek to go down. The Industrial Relations Commission is trying to settle this industrial dispute. It does not make a whole lot of sense to me to see somebody from the Liberal Party who is antagonistic to unions trying to stir it up some more.
Mr Humphries: What point of order are you raising? What standing order are you referring to?
Mr Berry: I just urge members to use a little bit of caution.
MR DE DOMENICO: Under what standing order? Sit down. You are a has-been. Just sit down and let us get on with it.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order.
MR DE DOMENICO: As difficult as it is for Mr Berry to accept what is being said here, Mr Deputy Speaker, the question that needs to be asked is this: Is the management of City Parks happy with the present status of the situation?
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