MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 9 December, 2009
Buswell must come clean on planned industrial relations changes
UnionsWA today demanded that Treasurer Troy Buswell release the recommendations of his
$635,000 review into Western Australia’s industrial relations laws, so that 300,000 workers could
have certainty before Christmas.
The State Government has been conducting a review of Western Australia’s workplace laws this
year, with Mr Buswell appointing a former Howard Government industrial relations advocate to
recommend areas for legislative reform in areas including individual versus collective agreements,
the award safety net, minimum wages, statutory minimum conditions of employment and unfair
dismissal.
It was revealed in State Parliament that Mr Buswell was in receipt of Mr Amendola’s report and
recommendations.
UnionsWA Secretary Simone McGurk said WA workers had a right to know the plans Mr Buswell had
for their workplaces and work conditions and demanded the Treasurer release the report and
recommendations immediately.
“While demanding State Government agencies cut their operating budgets, Mr Buswell has splurged
$635,000 of taxpayers’ money on a review to justify introducing WorkChoices style changes to WA
workplaces,” Ms McGurk said.
“We now know the Treasurer has the report and recommendations on his desk and is keeping WA
workers in the dark about the changes he plans to the award safety net, minimum standards, unfair
dismissal protection and other important provisions.
“There is absolutely no excuse for Mr Buswell to be sitting on a report that could negatively impact
upon the wages and conditions of 300,000 WA workers, many of whom provide essential services,
such as health, education, community safety and child protection.
“On behalf of Western Australian workers, we demand that Mr Buswell release the report and
recommendations now and not wait until just before Christmas, when governments often release
bad news they don’t want the media to report on.”
UnionsWA launched its No WorkChoices in WA campaign in September to build public awareness of
the State Government’s planned changes. The campaign includes a series of television commercials,
to highlight the threat the review poses to more than 300,000 workers remaining in the State
industrial relations system.
Ms McGurk said the No WorkChoices in WA campaign would be run until the State Government
guaranteed that it would:
Not introduce WorkChoices style individual contracts in Western Australia;
Not erode minimum standards or the award safety net system in Western Australian
workplaces;
Maintain the role of the WA Industrial Relations Commission as the independent umpire;
Maintain protections against unfair dismissal; and
Maintain and improve public services in WA.
Ends.
MEDIA CONTACT: Simone McGurk, UnionsWA, 0407 199 890
NEWS 
