Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

In addition to that, as the Prime Minister indicated in his answer to an earlier question, there have been agreements lodged with the Office of the Employment Advocate over the last seven or eight weeks since the introduction of Work Choices on 27 March which contain provisions relating to training for occupational health and safety. If you take the Tasmanian situation, nothing has changed in relation to the provision of occupational health and safety. Under the Tasmanian legislation, which provides obligations on the part of mine owners and others in Tasmania to provide training and instruction in health and safety, one of the authorised trainers is Unions Tasmania, and there are therefore provisions whereby workers in Tasmania can continue to receive that training.

It is not as if the opposition does not know this because, in the email from a constituent of the member for Lilley, which had been previously referred to for advice from their workplace relations spokesman, Mr Smith, this was said: ‘An employer can send employees to union training. Yes, that is correct.’ This was in writing from the member for Lilley, having obtained advice from the member for Perth.

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