Interview with Oliver Peterson - 6PR Perth

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Standing in the middle of the mall this morning was the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth, along with the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, as they were discussing the federal government's legislating protections for workers, meaning that overtime and penalty rates cannot be negotiated away when setting award conditions. The timing comes as, of course, Western Australia will move to add an additional two extra public holidays to the calendar in just a couple of years. Pleased to say the member for Perth, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and friend of Perth Live, Patrick Gorman joins me live on 6PR, this afternoon. G'day, Patrick.
 

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Oly, and g'day to your listeners.

PETERSON: So what changes with these announcements you and Minister Rishworth made this morning? 

GORMAN: Yeah, what myself and Minister Amanda Rishworth were confirming today was that when WA gets those two extra public holidays of Royal Show Day and Easter Saturday, that they will also have those protections of penalty rates as a result of the laws that we passed through the parliament just over a month ago.

PETERSON: Are you in favour of the changes? The two extra public holidays in WA?

GORMAN: I think getting our public holidays here in the West lined up with the rest of the country is a good thing. And a little bit of extra money in people's pockets on Easter Saturday, I think it is fantastic. So, yeah, I look forward to it, and I think my only disappointment is we have got to wait one more year to get there.

PETERSON: Yes, I do know that when the Premier announced the changes, he indicated this is good for productivity. It's good for the economy to align those public holidays with the eastern states. Patrick, as somebody that obviously works across the continent when you have to go to Canberra for your duties as a politician or as an Assistant Minister, is that something that frustrates you and some of your colleagues from around the country, that everybody has different public holidays at different times, occasionally?

GORMAN: Look it does affect, of course, the parliamentary sitting schedule. But I think the reality is that we know that it is a bother for a range of national businesses who operate across state borders, where they have got different public holidays, different days. So I think we will get, as the Premier has rightly said, significant productivity benefits. While at the same time, because of the laws that Amanda Rishworth put in, will protect people's pay and conditions so people can enjoy the benefits of harmonised public holidays and the benefit of being paid, especially when people are giving up their long weekends to make sure that your listeners, and you and I can be served a beer on those long weekends.

PETERSON: A few people have pointed out to me during the process of changing the public holiday calendar in Western Australia, that maybe we should also revisit, dare I say, the daylight saving conversation, Patrick, in the similar sort of vein around the idea that this increase increases productivity, it's good for the economy. Now, I am not a fan myself of daylight saving. I think, though it is something maybe your level of government should look at about trying to align the clocks around the country so that there's only ever two hours between the East and the West Coast. And I know that opens up a whole can of worms, even for our Queenslanders as well, who are behind the Northern Territory right now. But do you think a similar argument might be mounted to improve productivity, then to have a two instead of a three hour time zone difference between the East and the West Coasts?

GORMAN: Oly, firstly, I completely accept that this sits in the responsibility of the states and the territories to set their time zones. Indeed, it is a core part of the Federation agreement that they can choose their time zone. I don't I think we would want to have the Federal Parliament squabbling over that. We have got enough work on our books. I am a Western Australian. I remember when we had the plebiscite back then. I will be transparent with your listeners. I did vote yes to daylight savings, but that debate has come and gone, and I think the sensible thing right now is to focus on this exciting change that is happening, which is the alignment of the public holidays. Big benefits. I am sure for as long as you and I walk this earth, Oly, Western Australia will debate daylight savings, particularly at this time of year. But I do not see that change coming down the track.

PETERSON: Yeah, and I don't see Sunday trading changing anytime soon either. What were the Greens up to, Patrick? Sending on October 7th anniversary, an email linked to a party fundraising page?

GORMAN: Look, Oly, you would have to ask them. I cannot believe that this year I have seen the Greens Party both try and do a fundraiser on ANZAC Day, a rave fundraiser on ANZAC Day. And now the latest insensitivity, which is deeply disappointing, which was this October 7 anniversary email asking for $250 donations. I think it is time for Larissa Waters, as the leader of the Greens Party, to clean up their fundraising machine. Because this is just - I do not know who could defend this sort of insensitive behaviour.

PETERSON: Well, they seem to be up to stunts and tricks, and even former Greens are too. We heard Senator Lidia Thorpe over the weekend make some comments about burning down parliament. As I said to Tim Wilson yesterday, Patrick, you've all got a big responsibility, regardless of which party you're a member of, if you're in government or not, if you're a backbencher, a senator. What you say matters, and it matters to the Australian people, and you need to be held to higher account your colleagues. I'm not liking the way some of these discussions are going from some of those on the on the outskirts of the fringes.

GORMAN: No, I'm not either. I believe that we all, particularly if you have the honour of being elected to the Federal Parliament, we have responsibility to make sure that how we conduct ourselves is how we would want others to conduct themselves. I believe that everyone should have a safe workplace, and that includes those who work in the Federal Parliament. And I think we are always torn. Sometimes you just want to go, 'well, just ignore the ridiculous statements like that statement from Senator Lidia Thorpe,' but at the same time it was completely unacceptable and should never have been made. And I think every member of parliament needs to think about how we take on our responsibility of lowering the temperature and make sure that we increase social cohesion here at home, because that is what the Australian people want.

PETERSON: Patrick Gorman, thanks for your time today. 

GORMAN: Thanks, Oly.