Transcript
BRETT SANDERSON: Some businesses are closing on a Sunday already, Don. Sundays in the Australian system are double time and you just can't, with the amount of business we get through the island, which is solely dependent on tourism, some businesses just cannot sustain double rates on a Sunday. So they are opting to close completely on a Sunday. And also things like minimum hours. Because people often live five minutes from work some people are quite happy to go into work for an hour or two hours, but now, depending on which award they fall under, the employer has to pay them for a three or four hour minimum. So it just becomes non-viable for a business to engage an employee.
DON WISEMAN: Norfolk Island had been applying to be excepted from the national award system, to have its own award. How did you get on with that?
BS: Unfortunately that fell through last week in the Fair Work Commission. They gave it a very fair hearing. The ACTU - the Australian Council of Trade Unions - opposed the move so unfortunately it fell through in the Fair Work Commission. So at the moment we are stuck with the scheme as at the 1st July.
DW: Earlier this month you had a visit from the Territories Minister John McVeigh, but he was very select in who he met and maybe doesn't have a very clear picture of just what's going on on the island. Is that how you see it?
BS: yes unfortunately he wouldn't meet the Chamber of Commerce, he wouldn't meet with the Accommodation and Tourism Association, he wouldn't meet with the Norfolk Island People for Democracy who represent over 700 residents. It was unfortunate that a new minister wouldn't meet with these groups, especially the peak industry bodies.
DW: He's not meeting with me either. I have been trying to get hold of him for several weeks, but maybe he's busy with other things going on.
BS: Look he seemed like a very nice bloke, Don. I met him privately but I guess he has to toe the party line and it is no surprise for the federal government that Norfolk is in the economic mess. It's know that these effects would take place since 2006. So it is not a surprise and it's not something that has happened overnight. They have been fully aware of these changes, both economically and socially to the island and the community, and they in fact fought for four years to prevent the release of a report which revealed the extent of the damage they would do to the economy with these imposed changes.
DW: So what avenues are left open to struggling businesses on Norfolk Island?
BS: Some of them no doubt will close. Just easier to close the doors. Others that are willing to give it a go - with the assistance of the New South Wales Business Chamber we are hoping to form a special enterprise bargain agreement between the employers and employees on Norfolk Island, which would provide some sort of security going forward. That hasn't been solidified yet that is what we are hoping to do in the next six to eight weeks.