Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I think the member for Wentworth has seriously disturbed the Treasurer’s mind.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will come to his question.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister guarantee that no individual Commonwealth Bank employee will be worse off as a result of the introduction of the Commonwealth Bank Australian workplace agreement offered to employees on 9 October and made public today?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated more than a year ago when the debate on Work Choices started, I was going to maintain the position that the best guarantee that anybody can give in relation to these matters is one’s record. I do not intend to depart from that in answer to the question, but I am willing to say something about the Commonwealth Bank agreement. Contrary to the suggestions made by Mr Combet and also by some spokesman for the Labor Party, the Commonwealth Bank has been offering AWAs since 1997 and I understand that several thousand employees of the Commonwealth Bank are employed on AWAs, which is their choice. I understand that the latest version of the Commonwealth Bank AWA makes some changes to the hours of work provisions to increase the ability to address customer needs, including opening branches on the weekend—something that I am sure most customers would support.

In relation to Saturday work, the Commonwealth Bank operates these branches at present on a volunteer basis and, for the 755 staff required to operate the 65 branches on weekends, the bank has over 2,300 people willing to work. AWAs at the Commonwealth Bank are offered to some new staff and some existing staff as a choice. I am advised that new and existing staff can choose to remain on the collective agreement and the award if they choose not to sign an AWA. I repeat that: I am advised that new and existing staff can choose to remain on the collective agreement and the award—

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Bird interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Cunningham!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

if they choose not to sign an AWA.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Bird interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cunningham is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand that the AWA example used in the media this morning, and I think also by Mr Combet and others, has a significant increase in the base rate of pay of 13 per cent with the potential to earn up to 10 per cent in performance bonus in 12 months time. The AWA does buy out several award conditions, but this has occurred since AWAs were introduced by the Commonwealth Bank in 1997. There is nothing new in this provision and I am advised that these particular AWAs would have been ones that could have been entered into under pre Work Choices law. In other words, the Leader of the Opposition has been caught out again. He joins the ranks of the now discredited member for Perth when it comes to matters relating to Work Choices. I know this is a prelude to the big rally—the rock concert—that is going to occur at the G tomorrow. Melbourne is a well-organised union city. It will get a crowd—we all understand that—but the right, sound-thinking people of Middle Australia know a fear campaign when they see it, and they are staring one in the face. Every day that goes by, the campaign of the Leader of the Opposition has less and less potency.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Owens interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Parramatta is warned!