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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (22 February) . . Page.. 196 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, despite the hardening of the shells of members of the Government over the present industrial dispute, it is clear that some arrows can still get through, and Mr Kaine's question is one such arrow. I must say that I was quite ashamed at the neglect of my portfolio, which in a sense Ms Horodny's speech today indicated was the case. Mr Speaker, it is true. I have not yet been to the ACT eco-office. I have not yet spoken to the officers who work there. I have not yet talked about the work that it does. I feel deeply ashamed about that, Mr Speaker. I can indicate that, as a result of discussions I have had with the Treasurer today, I am prepared to triple the funding available to the ACT eco-office from $4,000 to $12,000. In light of the very serious Government neglect of that office over the last little while, we are even prepared to offer a 9 per cent pay rise to the workers who work in that office. There is only one small requirement that I have before I do that, Mr Speaker, and that is that Ms Horodny actually take me to the office. Take me to the office and I will hand over the cheque and advise of the pay rise.

MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I direct a question to Mrs Carnell. It relates to Mr Whitecross's question. We heard from Mrs Carnell that she had made an offer to the teachers union of some 7.5 per cent and an offer to the TWU of 9.7 per cent. She intimated also that she had made an offer to the AWU. My question is: What is the amount of the offer to the AWU and what period do all three of those offers cover?

MRS CARNELL: The offers are all over different periods of time and are based upon different parameters. The offer to the TWU, as I have already said, is for 30 months and comes out at about 9.7 per cent. My memory of the offer to the AWU is that it is over 15 months, the normal 15 months of the whole-of-government approach, and runs in at somewhere between 7 per cent and 8 per cent, from memory. The teachers' offer is for 15 months and is 7.5 per cent. The efficiencies, the productivity bases, for each of those offers are totally different. What we have is the basic amount we have offered to all agencies - and that is right across the ACT government service - plus, on top of that, productivity-based increases that are specific to particular areas. I am very happy to come back to this Assembly later on today and give full details of all of those offers. I do not have them with me. If I did, I would table them right now. To make sure that the Assembly has absolutely accurate information, I am happy to table details later.

I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I have a question under standing order 118A. My question is to the Chief Minister. I would like to know why the Chief Minister has not answered question No. 123, which was asked on 6 December and for which an answer was due on 5 January.

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