Question Time

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS LAWS

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:15): My question is to the Premier. Will the government rule out, under any circumstances, the referral of state industrial relations powers, including the responsibility for workers compensation, to the Rudd Labor government? State government employees and many other workers are covered by state industrial relations laws. The opposition is informed that the Treasurer and certain other ministers have been involved in discussions aimed at proposing a complete referral of the state industrial relations powers to the commonwealth, possibly including the powers and responsibilities for WorkCover and compensation.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:16): Dammit—caught out! If I understand the question, the member may like to know that COAG (the Council of Australian Governments) of which I am now a member, as the Treasurer, is making sure that our leaders are fully supported in their endeavour to spend our money wisely. There are a number of working groups and one of the working groups—and this was actually in the communiqué that was released three weeks ago—talked about harmonisation of occupational health and safety law around the nation, that is, that one of the microeconomic reforms that Wayne Swan and Kevin Rudd are pushing is a harmonisation of occupational health and safety law around the nation. There is no mention, as I can recall, of WorkCover (as tempting as it may be). I have always held the view that having a national scheme would be a sensible piece of public policy, but that has not been entered into, in terms of the discussion, at all.

However, Kevin Rudd has made no secret of his microeconomic agenda in terms of reforming microeconomic policy in this nation. In fact, he has seven working groups involving state and commonwealth bureaucrats and commonwealth ministers. It involves a series of meetings that are ongoing, looking at issues like education, the environment, business regulations—of which OH&S is but just one component. There is no secret about that. It is being looked at. It is being pushed by the national government, and this government will work cooperatively with that. However, there has been no discussion, that I can recall, about industrial law being handed over to the commonwealth, any more than it already has; and, secondly, about a national WorkCover scheme. It is occupational health and safety law.