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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (25 August) . . Page.. 2424 ..
MR STANHOPE (continuing):
Yet it cannot be gainsaid that the nurses remain ready to assist hospital management in its efforts to make do with what the Government allocates. Since 1996 the nursing staff has actively worked with management to realise significant savings in workers compensation premiums, savings of more than $3.2m. The Government originally agreed to share the savings from improved work practices with the nurses but, as we all know, shamefully reneged. It was only a decision of the Industrial Relations Commission that forced the Government to honour that 1996 commitment.
Mr Speaker, the whole saga of industrial disputation, which is escalating and escalating, is a damning indication of the manner in which this Government conducts it industrial relations. For its part, the Nursing Federation has tried to advance the negotiations over a new workplace agreement. I believe they have genuinely attempted to advance those negotiations. But quite properly - and this is the point of the motion - the union recognises that it has to deal with decision-makers who have a capacity to negotiate, to talk and to advance the case. That is quite clearly not the situation that the ANF is faced with in the present dispute. They are dealing with government representatives who, because of their riding instructions, simply do not have the capacity to negotiate in a genuine way.
As the Minister has indicated, as recently as today the Nursing Federation has put a genuine offer to the Government in an attempt at least to get the ball rolling so that the matter can be resolved. The nurses have today put some issues on the table. We are in a very difficult situation. I do not believe the Government has taken the ANF seriously enough. We have a serious situation at the Canberra Hospital which must be resolved. I believe the ANF has taken a step today, saying, "Here are some issues. Give us a response". The Canberra Hospital has not yet responded, yet the Minister stood up in this place half an hour ago and said, "This is what I think the Canberra Hospital will tell you and you will not like it".
Mr Moore: That is not what I said.
MR STANHOPE: That is virtually what you said. I am simply making the point - - -
Mr Moore: No. I said, "It will not give you everything you want". It is a starting point.
MR STANHOPE: We can see that it is a starting point. It is good to see that the hospital might now step out and seek to consult with the nurses on the position they put today. But in the same breath you said, "I can almost virtually assure you that you will not like what they have to say". This motion is saying to the Government, "For goodness sake, get together. Get serious about this. Get together with the nurses". We can say the same to the ANF. We need this dispute resolved. We cannot allow it to fester. I do not think there is any real feeling in the community that this Government has made a serious attempt to resolve this difficult issue.
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