QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Wednesday, 12 August 1992 ASSEMBLY 59 Wednesday, 12 August 1992 The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable member for Malvern is out of order, as he is well aware. I am quite prepared to take action against him if necessary. The SPEAKER (Hon. Ken Coghill) took the chair at Ms KIRNER - We have determined that there 10.34 a.m. and read the prayer. should be an ongoing dividend that ends up in people's incomes, that reduces business costs and provides community services. We believe this has a QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE greater community benefit than a one-off reduction in premiums. This dividend is equivalent to 20 000 jobs, and when you are making decisions about TRANSPORT ACCIDENT Budgets in recession times, jobs and investment in COMMISSION people have to be the highest priority. The government, the TAC and the Victoria Police Mr KENNElT (Leader of the Opposition) - I refer the Premier to her statement in March this year have worked very hard to ensure that the TAC has when she was responding to the coalition's decision become more viable and has surplus assets because of the decline in the accident rate. That position is to transfer the interest liability for the Pyramid bail-out to the Transport Accident Commission not shared by the opposition which, as the Minister (T AC), which she then described as an inappropriate for Transport said the other day, would extend the licence to kill by raising the speed limit. way of using TAC funds, and ask: given her remarks, how does she now justify the highway robbery that her government intends to impose on Honourable members interjecting. the TAC? Ms KIRNER - Yes, you would. The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the honourable member to rephrase his question within the The SPEAKER -Order! I ask the Premier to guidelines for questions. address her remarks directly to the Chair and not to debate the question. Mr KENNElT - I refer to the Premier's statement in March this year when responding to the Ms KIRNER - We will keep the TAC viable. It coalition's decision to transfer the interest liability will continue to be fully funded. for the Pyramid bail-out to the TAC, which at the time the Premier said was an inappropriate way to Honourable members interjecting. use TAC moneys, and I ask: how does the Premier now justify her government's intention to remove The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the Premier to pause until the House comes to order. I ask up to $1 billion from the T AC to fund programs other than those which directly benefit motorists? honour~ble. members, particularly those on my left, to remam sIlent so that the Premier's reply can be Ms KIRNER (Premier) - The dividend from the heard clearly by all honourable members. Transport Accident Commission will benefit all Victorians - every household, every business - Ms KIRNER - All Victorians will benefit from the lowest premiums in Australia. What Victorians and so it should, as most Victorians have contributed to the surplus TAC funds. We have really have to fear is an opposition that wants to allow the private sector to split up the TAC and sell determined that there should be an ongoing dividend which ends up -- it off. Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! I advise the Premier that she may comment on other policies that the The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable government has considered but she may not use member for Momington. question time as an opportunity to attack the opposition. I also indicate that if the Leader of the Mr Leigh - He didn't say anything! National Party wishes to seek the call at any stage during question time today he should remain silent now. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 60 ASSEMBLY Wednesday. 12 August 1992 Ms KIRNER - My government will keep this Ms KIRNER - I suppose political parties will asset for the Victorian people. The monopoly brings constantly debate the issue, and so they should. benefits to all Victorians through both its However, it is important to listen to economists and community education campaign and its contribution economic commentators on this issue. Alan Kohler to funding for roads, health and police services. My of the Australian recently wrote: government intends to keep the TAC as an investment for the Victorian people. The opposition The TAC should be retained by the government and it would split it up and sell it off. We know the should start taking a dividend. The monopoly should shadow Treasurer -- not be sold to a private company for cash. Given the profits being earned, those dividends could easily Honourable members interjecting. amount to $1 billion or more in just a few years. The SPEAKER - Order! I ask the Leader of the ENTERPRISE BARGAINING Opposition to remain silent, particularly if he wishes AGREEMENTS to seek the call again during the course of question time. In view of the length of time she has already Mr MICALLEF (Springvale) - Following the taken in answering the question, I ask the Premier to proclamation of the Industrial Relations (Enterprise conclude her reply. Bargaining) Bill on 1 August, which happens to be my birthday and that of one of my colleagues, and Ms KIRNER - Victorians have a right to ask the release yesterday of the government's industrial whether the TAC will remain as a public asset relations policy platform by the Minister for Labour, providing investment and benefits. The answer to will the Premier provide details of the enterprise that question is yes under our government and no bargaining agreements that have been negotiated in under a Liberal government. the public sector? Honourable members interjecting. The SPEAKER - Order! The birth dates of certain members are irrelevant, but not the question. The SPEAKER - Order! If the honourable member for Glen Waverley wishes to speak, he Ms KIRNER (premier) - Reform in the should rise in his place. workplace is critical to the achievement of greater productivity and efficiency in the Victorian Mr McNAMARA (Leader of the National economy. The only way to achieve that reform is Party) - In response to proposals made by the through cooperative partnerships between coalition parties that a coalition government would employers and employees in the private sector and use Transport Accident Commission (TAC) funds to between the public authorities and their employees relieve the Pyramid petrol tax, on 25 March the or departments and their employees in the public Premier said on radio that the raiding of the reserves sector. of money raised in that way by motorists would be an inappropriate use of TAC money. I ask the It is clear that the opposition does not have that view Premier whether she still regards the use of such because history shows that it has a Neanderthal funds as a raid and as inappropriate. view of industrial relations. Ms KIRNER (premier) - I have already Mr Kennett - That is debating! responded to the question asked by the Leader of the National Party. The government's belief is that Ms KIRNER - It is not debating; it is a fact. The the TAC is an investment in jobs for the people of opposition's view belongs to the Dark Ages and not Victoria. The coalition's position on this issue will to new industrial logic and imperatives. result in a removal of jobs from the Victorian people. Over the past few months the government has made Honourable members interjecting. decisions about enterprise bargaining that will have a Significant impact on the productivity of the public The SPEAKER - Order! I warn the Leader of the sector and the private sector. The Public Transport National Party. I have already asked him on several Corporation, the Gas and Fuel Corporation, the occasions to remain silent. If he continues to defy the Grain Elevators Board, the Port of Melbourne authority of the Chair I will have no alternative but Authority, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and that to take action against him. association that is dear to the heart of the Minister QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Wednesday, 12 August 1992 ASSEMBLY 61 for Food and Agriculture, the Victorian Egg people fairly. On varying the Swans ton Street Walk Marketing Board, have enterprise bargaining order he asked: agreements. I refer to a function that I will be attending at 12.45 p.m. Mr J. F. McGrath interjected. on August 12 at the Melbourne Town Hall. The SPEAKER - Order! The honourable I understand that in order for vehicles to proceed into member for Warmambool knows better; I ask him to the ... (precinct] ... they must receive a "special pass" remain silent. from the Premier. Ms KIRNER - He does know better. These In order to proceed to this function, I request a "special agreements involve major changes in work practices pass" for the government vehicle which I currently for management and workers. They involve major utilise to be issued for that date. savings for the Victorian community. They are examples of the cooperative reform that is essential I cannot believe that the shadow Minister for for the new industrial age. employment and industrial relations, who wants to cut the living standards of our people, could write to If members compare that with the opposition's me and say that he cannot walk along the Swans ton intention to abolish the award system in its first Street Walk like everyone else. Opposition members week in govenunent, they will note that that is one have one rule for themselves and another for the of the biggest differences between the opposition people who have the money - and the govenunent on shaping the future of Victoria. If their awards are removed, imagine what Mr J.