House debates

Thursday, 16 August 2007

Questions without Notice: Additional Answers

Workplace Relations

3:18 pm

Photo of John HowardJohn Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Prime Minister may proceed.

Photo of John HowardJohn Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I have been informed, since I gave an answer on the long-term unemployed, that the monthly figure that came out today shows that the fall is now 21 per cent over the last 12 months.

3:19 pm

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.

Photo of David HawkerDavid Hawker (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The minister may proceed.

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | | Hansard source

In relation to the question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, I can confirm that the Workplace Authority staffing levels are increasing from around 250 to 800 staff and that in the interim, while they are recruiting those full-time staff, they have been employing temporary staff hired through three recruitment agencies. They can be classed as contract labour.

Honourable Member:

Honourable member—Backpackers?

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | | Hansard source

They do not know whether they are backpackers because they do not wear a backpack to work! But they can say—and I have been advised by the Workplace Authority—that experienced workplace relations practitioners make all of the decisions in relation to the fairness test.