OCCUPATIONAL LICENCES

Mr GOLDSWORTHY (Kavel) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Business Services and Consumers. Will the minister explain why over 200 plumbing and gasfitting apprentices and over 200 building licence applicants are waiting at least four months to have their licence applications processed, costing some apprentices at least $300 per week in lost wages?

A fourth-year apprentice who has completed all the required training lodged his licence application in October last year, but when making inquiries this month to Business and Consumer Services about when the licence would be issued, the department could not advise how long it would take and said that the applicant would 'just have to wait'. The apprentice told the opposition that, because he has not been approved as a fully licensed plumber, his employer is still paying him the fourth-year apprenticeship wage and it has cost the apprentice at least $300 a week in lost wages. Over four months, minister, that is in excess of $4,000 in lost wages.

The SPEAKER: I think that is the Attorney-General.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:33): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the honourable member for that very important question. It is an important question, and I am very disturbed to hear complaints of that nature about any service provided by the government, and particularly if it is that agency which is being accused of having a less than satisfactory performance.

I undertake to go to the agency and find out exactly what problems are there. I would appreciate if the member could provide me with any particulars in relation to any of those approximately 200 people, or however many it is, that he is aware of.

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am inviting you to give me any information you can about these because I take your question very seriously. I take the service the government offers to people—particularly tradespeople and people requiring licences—very seriously, and the matter will be investigated.