Emergency Services

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. If the minister moves nonoperational MFS and CFS staff into SAFECOM, how can he guarantee, as he told the UFU, that 'where employees are performing the same work, they will be paid the same rate'?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:08): Mr Speaker, can I have the honourable member repeat the first bit?

Dr McFETRIDGE: If the minister moves nonoperational MFS and CFS staff into SAFECOM, how can he guarantee, as he told the UFU, that 'where employees are performing the same work, they will be paid the same rate'?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Speaker, I am actually doing the reform process for the question that has been asked on a number of occasions and across the state, that is, if we did bring together the three organisations, how do we deal with the different wage issues? I made it clear, first, that the whole reform process was about improving the service to the community and the resources on the ground and it was not an exercise in removing people's pay and conditions; and that one of the earliest things we would have to do before we transitioned to any new organisation is to have an appropriate industrial agreement between the parties to make sure those issues of wage differences are addressed. That undertaking was given to all people, not just the UFU, and it was made quite public at all the public meetings I held which members of the opposition have attended. I gave that undertaking then and I retain that undertaking.