Hockey caught red-handed misrepresenting local government reforms

The Federal Government has been caught red-handed spreading misinformation about Queensland’s local government reform process, Main Roads and Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said today.

Mr Pitt said the Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Joe Hockey, had claimed “union bosses” had been “put in charge of local governments in Queensland”.

“Mr Hockey claims that local transition committees set up to handle the amalgamation process will be union controlled. This is simply untrue,” Mr Pitt said.

“Mr Hockey further claims that union officials will decide on the executive structure of local councils, and will choose the chief executives to be appointed.

“This is all absolute nonsense, but it goes to show that the Federal Government will say anything in its scaremongering campaign against Queensland’s local government reforms.

“Mr Hockey is so rabidly anti-union that he would rather exclude Queensland’s 23,000-plus local government employees from having a say during the amalgamation process than have union representation on local transition committees.

“Contrary to what Mr Hockey says, there will be more council officials than union representatives on every one of the 34 local transition committees.

“For Mr Hockey’s information, these committees are not in charge of the new local government areas. They are merely in place to prepare a transition action plan for the consideration of new councils when they are duly elected by their communities.

“Chief executive officers won’t be chosen by union officials. They will be appointed by selection committees comprising elected officials and one independent, external representative, in most instances a human resources specialist.

“The Queensland Government is committed to job security for all local government employees impacted by local government reform.

“That is why the Queensland Government has announced the $12 million Workforce Transition Code of Practice, which includes the three-year job security provision.

“Mr Hockey – the person who has presided over the erosion of workers’ rights through the instrument of Work Choices – now wants to marginalise Queensland’s local government workforce.

“The Bligh Government will not allow the Federal Government to silence Queensland’s local government workforce during this important transition process to new councils,” Mr Pitt said.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819