Borbidge threatens maternity leave

Wednesday, April 3, 1996 - 10:00

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE — The Queensland Coalition government has threatened to scrap a 12-week paid maternity leave agreement for state public servants, claiming the deal would blow a $50 million hole in the state budget.

Implementation of the agreement would bring Queensland public servants into line with their federal counterparts.

Premier Rob Borbidge claimed on March 24 that the agreement, signed between the former Labor government and public sector unions before the Mundingburra by-election, had been a bid to buy votes.

Labor opposition leader Peter Beattie slammed Borbidge's comments, saying the comparison between the publicly signed maternity leave agreement and the secret deal between the Coalition and the Queensland Police Union to give the union veto powers over major police issues was an attempt to "muddy the waters".

A Criminal Justice Commission inquiry into the secret police union memorandum of understanding begins on April 2.

From GLW issue 226