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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-09 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Transport Services. Are there any additional costs through increased public transport services or increased penalty rates of public transport operators as a result of the government's decision to create two additional part public holidays? If so, how much? Is the contractor or the government liable for these costs?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:53): Madam Speaker, the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You will show the Premier some respect. Order! If you don't want to be here, leave.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The announcement that we made a few days ago concerning public holidays, the creation of a new set of norms around public holidays for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from five until midnight, applies to all workers in the state; all workers in the state, whether they are transport workers through to any workers. Depending on the award provisions contained within each of the industrial instruments that regulate that employment, there may well be additional penalty rates. Some of those workers will already enjoy premiums for working on those evenings, depending on—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —the way in which their shifts are constructed and whether they already end or begin beyond midnight. So that will certainly be a cost that will be borne by the community, and—that is one thing we have said—by the government. We make no apologies for it. We are a party that believes that workers who work on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve should be adequately compensated for the fact that the rest of us are out there enjoying ourselves. If you think that this party on this side of the chamber is going to be embarrassed by actually providing a benefit to workers when they are working while other people are enjoying themselves, you have the wrong party.

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