Question Time

Metropolitan Fire Service Travel Allowance

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to addressing a question to the Minister for Emergency Services regarding the Metropolitan Fire Service travel allowance.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: On Monday, Her Honour Deputy President Eaton handed down her judgement in the South Australian Employment Tribunal in the matter of the United Firefighters Union versus the chief executive of the Attorney-General's Department. I quote from her judgement:

The employer here is the Crown. That it has failed over such an extended period to comply with its own legal obligation is disturbing. The South Australian community is entitled to expect its government to adhere to the same standards of conduct that it requires of other employers.

Yesterday in the chamber, the minister gave a personal explanation in which she was, and I quote, 'deeply regretful' about the Metropolitan Fire Service's travel allowance scandal. In a statement issued yesterday, the United Firefighters Union said, and I quote,

Emergency services workers, our fire fighters, deserve better than being ripped off by an employer and a government that apparently could not care less.

So my question to the minister is: will the minister, on behalf of the government, apologise to South Australian firefighters for what has been described by the United Firefighters Union as one of the worst cases of wage theft in South Australian public sector history?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:21): I thank the honourable member for her question. As she has rightfully highlighted, I did give a personal explanation regarding this matter yesterday in this chamber, and I did express that it was deeply regretful that firefighters were delayed in receiving payments for their travel allowance. This situation should not have happened. It took too long to be corrected and it is not good enough. I am advised that the MFS is working to ensure that all orders made by SAET are complied with and have taken active steps to put processes in place to ensure this does not happen again.