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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 3 Hansard (7 March) . . Page.. 750 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

enhancement of $15,000, $18,500 enhancement for those with over 25 to 29 years of service, and $22,000 for those with over 30 years of service.

The average forestry worker is paid a salary of between $27,000 and $44,000, depending on their classification. There has been much said about those on the lower incomes. Yes, there are some on lower incomes, but, for instance, five or six of them are GSO9s and they get $43,000 a year before overtime. Some of them, yes, are on the lower edge of the scale, but some of them are doing okay on $43,000 a year with overtime. Mr Speaker, the enhancements are in addition to the standard package, which is a maximum of 53 weeks pay, depending on service.

Mr Kaine raised the point of what are we doing about redeployment and retraining. Ms Tucker also asked. Well, that is the whole point of the package. If those opposite had delved further into the package they would have seen the incentives that are on offer. We have offered a further $100 a week training subsidy for 12 months to any employer who will take on any ex-ACT forestry worker. I think this will be a substantial incentive for any employer to employ displaced staff, particularly those employed with ACT Forest industries because there will be opportunities in the contracting that comes up.

A further $4,800 is available. That is paid directly to an ex-employee for such items as fees, computers, textbooks, tools of trade, et cetera, to set the displaced worker up in future employment. Finally, some may choose to move elsewhere to follow a career in the forestry industry. Those opportunities may be elsewhere. There is an allowance of up to $20,000 to resettle if they seek employment somewhere else. If they get a secure offer of employment we will help them resettle. That is an acknowledgment that some of them may wish to stay in this industry and may find jobs elsewhere. What we have is a comprehensive package there to address those needs.

Mr Speaker, much has been said this morning. Mr Osborne, for instance, questioned the CSOs. What we will do is restructure ACT Forests to take into account that areas under forest are used for other things than just the production of timber. We will fund those community service obligations so that it is quite clear that what has been funded is for the use of the community as opposed to the production of timber. That will be in the budget.

Mr Quinlan said that he hoped that Hansard had picked up Mr Humphries' comments. Well, I hope Hansard picked up Mr Berry's comment-I think Mr Wood was saying it too-that under Labor there were no involuntary redundancies; none whatsoever; that they put their $17 million on the table and everybody who went was happy to take it. Well, Mr Speaker, I am told that in fact-

Mr Quinlan: No, we didn't take the hard decisions. Remember that?

MR SMYTH: You did not take hard decisions. I see. Well, contrary to what Mr Berry was interjecting, I was told by an ex-union official that there were at least three involuntary redundancies during Labor's term in office.

Mr Wood: Three. Oh dear. Did we make a mistake?

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