Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question, in conjunction with Senator Hill, is to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Coonan. Increasingly, the Australian workplace is under pressure from workers to be more flexible and to provide innovative options to the traditional nine-to-five workplace. Will the minister advise the Senate how the Howard government is using technology to improve flexibility for Australian workers and their families? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ronaldson and indeed Senator Hill, in conjunction, for that question. As many senators would be aware, in response to our election commitment, the government convened the Telework Advisory Committee to examine the ways that technology could be used to deliver more flexible working arrangements to Australian workers and employers. With the increase in internet connectivity in homes and the spread of personal computers, it is now possible for employees to perform a range of tasks from their own homes or other convenient locations rather than being required to attend a centralised office. This ability to perform work from home is proving increasingly popular with both employers and employees.

The Australian Telework Advisory Committee reported on Monday and concluded that the broader take-up of telework could expand the labour market during a period of high employment and fill skills shortages. People whose family commitments or health may prevent them from attending an office workplace full time may well be able to have a job using teleworking. In this way, telework can increase participation in line with the government’s Welfare to Work policies and can especially help people with disabilities, mature age workers and carers into meaningful employment. Flexible working arrangements can help the long-term unemployed, parents with young families, people on disability support and workers to find a better work-life balance.

The committee made a number of recommendations, including continued funding for initiatives that Labor dismisses as pork-barrelling, such as the Broadband Connect and the Clever Networks programs, to support the roll-out of high-speed broadband that will better enable people to work from home. While this capacity to work from home can be very attractive for many Australians, good for the economy and good for families, not everyone will be pleased, as I am sure Senator Ronaldson would be aware. It is obviously not very attractive for those who long for the days of a big unionised shop floor.

Labor and their trade union warlords are not interested in real flexibility and choice for employees. The factional war in the Victorian ALP is not about renewal; it is about entrenching union mates. We do not need to look any further for proof than Senator Conroy’s attempt. By the way, where is Senator Conroy? He must be out branch-stacking; probably doing his Clark Kent impersonation, in and out of a phone box. Anyway, Senator Conroy’s attempt to tackle half-a-dozen sitting MPs to make way for more of his union cronies is more what the Labor Party is interested in.

In the Australian today, Senator Conroy’s Victorian colleague Mr Martin Ferguson, the member for Batman, has attacked the takeover of the Victorian ALP, which he says will bring nothing to caucus other than to choke the development of policy. So, while Senator Conroy and those opposite branch-stack, this government is getting on with reforming workplace relations, getting on with support in the uptake of high-tech options for teleworking and continuing to work hard for Australian families.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faulkner interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When those on my left come to order we will continue with question time—thank you, Senator Faulkner!