Page 322 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 7 March 2007
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MR GENTLEMAN: I am against Mr Stefaniak’s amendment. I and urge members to vote against it. Firstly, I want to deal with Mr Stefaniak’s comments about WorkCover. The opposition in the Assembly has attempted to shift the blame onto this government on workplace safety.
On Friday, 17 February, Mr Bill Stefaniak issued a press release attacking the Chief Minister about his alleged cuts to WorkCover, and we have heard more rhetoric about it here today. But not a word has been said by Mr Stefaniak about the questionable work practices of companies and their lack of duty of care towards their employees. No amount of funding for WorkCover will change the fact that these incidents should never have occurred in the first place. WorkCover is called in after an incident has occurred, and there may be many more as employers cut corners in the pursuit of profit. I am glad that Mr Stefaniak mentioned young people and AWAs in his—
Mrs Dunne: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There is a matter before the industrial relations tribunal. Mr Gentleman just said that the employers in this town cut corners to make a profit. This will impinge directly upon evidence in this matter. It is unreasonable. Mr Gentleman has played fast and loose with sub judice all afternoon.
MR SPEAKER: It is a generic reference to employers and it is permitted.
MR GENTLEMAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am glad Mr Stefaniak mentioned young people and AWAs in the ACT. We heard how well they were going. In fact, last week and on the FM networks and 666 over the weekend we were presented with comments and detailed observations from the Youth Coalition of the ACT. They have said that one of the most concerning aspects of young people’s employment is that young workers are highly likely to experience an injury or illness while at the workplace and to be treated in a way that contravenes legislation, regulations or workplace agreements.
They said that research by Job Watch found that 10 per cent of young people were being paid under the minimum wage; 9.1 per cent were not being paid at all; 39 per cent were not paid for training and staff meetings they were entitled to be paid for; 24.2 per cent did not get a 30-minute meal break when working five hours or more; 46.2 per cent had been injured in the workplace, of which 59.1 per cent were burns; 29.7 per cent have been verbally harassed in the workplace; and 19 per cent experience some form of discrimination in the workplace. They said that young people are unlikely to access complaints processes and are likely to accept decisions made by employers, which is a result of their limited experience in the labour force and low levels of knowledge of their rights.
I was able to speak to a young person who has been employed as a bricklayer for about 12 months. Last Saturday at the Lanyon Marketplace I asked him what his work was like. He said it was great. He said, “I start early. I finish early. The money is good.” I said, “What about holidays and sick leave?” He said, “Well, we do not get any of that. We are told that we must sign up as an ABN, as a subcontractor.” He said that they had no other choice. They were not given any opportunity even to sign an AWA. So it is clear that these laws have affected young people, and I am glad that Mr Stefaniak brought that up.
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