Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked today.

I rise on this issue because I think it brings forward two distinct areas in this amalgamation debate. One is that we have been told today by Senator Johnston that the AWU and the union movement generally will be responsible for, or be taken into consideration on, the reconstruction of the councils. So there is going to be a power grab by the union movement. Then we are informed, if you look closely at the Premier’s second reading speech, that there could be—and I am maintaining there will be—a position where the council workers will be put under a statutory authority and they will not work for the local councils but will work under a statutory authority to avoid the results of our job creation policies—