Parliament House Staff Enterprise Agreement

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:53): Supplementary, and I ask for some latitude from the Chair as there is some confusion about the nature of back pay. Back pay is a negotiation tactic that exists where you would have a period of time between when the previous agreement has ended and when you sign your new agreement.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Are we all finished? As much as I enjoy a general discussion seated on the standing orders, as I listened to the member he is just trying to give the person who is going to answer the question some clarity before he asks his supplementary. Please ask your supplementary.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: My supplementary is, first of all: I understand that the Treasurer is going to take my question on notice; is that correct?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:54): I will in part take it on notice. I have answered the bulk of the question already. I am happy to, outside of this particular arena, have a quiet discussion and get a further explanation from the member as to what he actually means by 'back pay'. As I explained in my response, if he means in essence making a pay offer and then making it retrospective in terms of a payment, then my answer to the question is: there is an enterprise bargaining negotiation currently going on, and I don't propose to publicly canvass the government's position or, indeed, the employee's position at this particular stage.

If, however, he is making an allegation that the government hasn't made a payment and that there is a legal entitlement to back pay to be paid to some staff, then I will seek that further information outside the chamber from him and have it investigated. But I am not taking it on notice. If I have interpreted the question as being as I suspect it might have been intended, then I don't propose to take it on notice. I have given my answer.