MEDIA RELEASE
19 November 2010
Gillard Government Fails Community Sector
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Gillard Government has failed to meet its election promise to the community sector and is in
danger of seriously jeopardising the future of vital community services to those at disadvantage in
our community.
In the Government’s submission to Fair Work Australia yesterday (Government Submission) on the
Equal Remuneration Case, it has made it clear that it will not fund any increases in salaries that
are awarded by Fair Work Australia in this Case.
“This is a disaster in the making” said Community Employers WA’s Executive Director, James
Lawton.
“Not only has the Gillard Government failed to meet its promise to the community sector in the
build up to the Election, it has laughably suggested that any increases in salaries could be made
by making efficiencies in operating services or through enterprise bargaining” said Mr Lawton.
In response to salary and funding issues raised by Community Employers WA in the lead up to the
2010 Federal Election, the ALP stated that they “believe the community sector plays a vital role in
delivering services to the most vulnerable in our community and it is important that it has the
resources to do this job”. It goes on to say that “this is why the Gillard Labor Government has
committed to working through the funding implications of any increase in wages awarded as a
result of this case cooperatively, in consultation with the States as well as the affected unions and
employers.”
“They have failed to do this and are now seriously in danger of derailing this whole process to
address unfair and unjust salaries for workers in the community sector” said Mr Lawton.
“And to suggest that efficiencies can be made in an already seriously under funded sector, or that
a process of enterprise bargaining could be employed in a not-for-profit environment, is frankly just
ridiculous” said Mr Lawton.
“If the Gillard Government is serious in wanting to address the alarming gender pay gap, where
women in WA get 27% less than their male counterparts, and the appalling inequities in salaries,
where a senior social worker can earn nearly $30,000 less than their counterpart in Government,
then it needs to put its money where its mouth is. Otherwise we can assume it is just another case
of political rhetoric, of which the Australian community is quite rightly getting so fed up with” said Mr
Lawton.
“We are therefore calling on the Prime Minister herself, who signed the original Heads of
Agreement to start this process, to intervene and put the issue of providing Government funding to
cover any increases in wages handed down by FWA, back on the table.
“Failure to do so will further reduce the credibility of the Gillard Government, and more importantly
have a drastic impact on vital community services provided to those at disadvantage in the
Western Australian, and Australian, community” said Mr Lawton.
In Western Australia, Community Employers WA (CEWA) represents over 100 employers in the
community services sector.
ends.
James Lawton, contact number: 0403 677 635