Question Time

Metropolitan Fire Service Travel Allowance

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): I seek leave to provide a brief explanation before asking questions of the Minister for Emergency Services regarding wage theft.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: On Tuesday 13 May in this place, the minister made a personal explanation regarding the payment of travel allowances by the Metropolitan Fire Service. In that statement the minister said:

I am advised that following the orders of the South Australian Employment Tribunal all outstanding travel allowance payments have now been processed by the MFS. Further, I understand that payments are scheduled to be paid by Shared Services in tomorrow's pay cycle.

Yesterday on ABC radio, Max Adlam, the United Firefighters Union of South Australia's secretary, revealed that:

We were fortunate in April to get orders requiring the employer to make the payments…and after…breaking the law the government now is in breach of those orders with approximately 845 claims not having been processed.

Given the discrepancy of the minister's statement made in this place some three weeks ago that all outstanding travel allowance payments had been processed and the comments made by Ms Adlam on radio yesterday and indeed again this morning, my questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister stand by her previous statement on this matter?

2. Will she table the advice that she was given?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:26): I thank the member for her question. As has been highlighted, previous statements have been made in the parliament and a personal statement was made in the last sitting week to update the chamber on how that process was undertaken. As I have mentioned previously, we as a government unreservedly apologise and are deeply regretful that firefighters were delayed in receiving payments of their travel allowance.

Every worker in South Australia deserves to have their wages and entitlements paid in full and on time. I have been advised that an administrative error has occurred within Shared Services which saw some payments not being paid appropriately. However, I am further advised that urgent EFT payments for these claims were completed on Monday.