Motions

Industrial Relations Commission

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (16:30): I move:

That pursuant to section 30 of the Fair Work Act 1994, the nominee of this house to the panel to consult with the Minister for Industrial Relations regarding the appointment to the position of deputy commissioner to the Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia be the Hon. T.T. Ngo MLC.

Before a person is appointed or reappointed as deputy president of the Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia, the Minister for Industrial Relations must consult confidentially about the proposed appointment with a panel consisting of a nominee of the United Trades and Labour Council, a nominee of the South Australian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a nominee of the House of Assembly, a nominee of the Legislative Council, and the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. Pursuant to section 30 of the Fair Work Act 1994, this motion seeks to appoint the Hon. Tung Ngo MLC.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (16:31): I rise to make a few remarks before supporting the motion. When we received notice of this motion we were surprised to hear that the member for Little Para had been appointed by the House of Assembly to this committee and that the nomination here was for the Hon. Tung Ngo. It had always been the convention for the 12 years I have been here that in this particular case, with appointments to the Industrial Relations Commission, the shadow minister for industrial relations was consulted and, in most cases, put on the committee.

We were very surprised to see that was not the case, that the member for Little Para (Mr Odenwalder) and the Hon. Tung Ngo were the two suggested appointees by the government, with no reference whatsoever to the shadow minister. The shadow minister, the member for Davenport (Iain Evans) raised this yesterday in the debate in the House of Assembly, and the Attorney-General said that he did not know of the convention. Maybe he or his office did not know but, given that the Hon. John Rau and I were elected in 2002 on the same day and I know about it, I find it a bit hard to believe that he did not know about.

Nonetheless, he accepted that he had erred and had perhaps tried to ride roughshod over the opposition, and the Hon. Iain Evans moved an amendment to replace Mr Odenwalder, the member for Little Para, with the member for Davenport, which to my understanding has succeeded, or at least the Attorney-General has agreed to it. So, the House of Assembly has now appointed the member for Davenport, who is our shadow minister for industrial relations.

Now that we have the convention being upheld and honoured, we are comfortable with now seeing one representative from the opposition, being the member for Davenport, and one from the government, being the Hon. Tung Ngo, appointed to this committee. With those few words, I indicate that we support the motion.

Motion carried.