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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-09-14 Daily Xml
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Offshore Renewable Energy

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (15:09): Supplementary: what assurances can the minister give the chamber and the people of South Australia that this current friction between the government and the unions will not result in the unions further intimidating the construction and building industries to wedge the government on the issue?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:10): This—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I want to hear the answer.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his supplementary question. One of the hallmarks of this government has been how willing we are to have open and courteous discussions with representatives not just of employee groups but employer groups as well. I know this stands in stark contrast to the former government. We used to have the Hon. Rob Lucas stand in this very place and demean those who dedicate their lives to looking after working people, calling them 'mere union bosses'. That is not what we do here. That is not what we do at all.

We recognise the important role that trade unions play in society today, people who dedicate their lives to representing some of the lowest paid workers. We won't do what the former government did and there is no doubt that, if South Australia was unfortunate enough to have a future Liberal government thrust upon them, they would demean those who stick up for some of the lowest paid workers in this state. That is not what we will do. We don't think that is conducive to a well operating South Australia. Perhaps that's why the Liberal Party in this state has been in opposition for so much of this century—because of their attitudes and what they do and how they carry on.

Further, it's another hallmark of this government that we have respectful and courteous relationships and discussions with industry groups—those that represent employers as well. I very regularly meet with many people who represent employer groups and industry associations in South Australia. So I just don't accept at all what the Hon. Ben Hood is saying in trying to drum up that there is some sort of huge friction. I can tell you that when there was friction it was when the Liberals were last in government, and it didn't serve the state very well at all.

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