Humphries Caught Out On Australian Workplace Agreements

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Industrial Relations

Media Statement - 30 July 2001

Chief Minister Gary Humphries has been caught out on his claim that Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA's) are 'enormously popular' with ACT Public Servants, Labor Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Wayne Berry said today.

"This 'enormous popularity' amounts to only 2% of the ACT government workforce. That 98% of the workforce don't have AWA's demonstrates that the secret agreements are overwhelmingly unpopular."

"On top of this the so-called enormous popularity that Mr Humphries claims, turns out to be misleading when the ACT Government Staff Bulletin, in a job advertisement contains:

• 'Note: This position has an attractive remuneration package, the terms and conditions of which will be regulated under an Australian Workplace Agreement.'

"So to become 'enormously popular' at 2% of the workforce, the AWA's are a condition of employment i.e. Compulsory.

"And they are probably unlawful.

"The Workplace Relations Act requires at section 170VPA that:

• 'the employee genuinely consented to making the AWA'

"The attempt to ensure there are more AWA's by making them a condition of employment hardly leads to an employee giving the genuine consent which is required by the Workplace Relations Act.

"Secret AWA's have no place in the ACT public service if you aspire to accountability, efficiency and fair play in the workplace - and Labor does. If the perks that Mr Humphries boasts about are such a good idea then why is it that those who have them is kept from public scrutiny," Mr Berry concluded.