Senator MASON (5:36 PM) —I want to say a few things this afternoon about the people that this bill is directed towards, the Australian reservists. One of my favourite political leaders of this century, Sir Winston Churchill, was right when he described those who serve the national interest as a member of volunteer defence forces while also doing a civilian job or studies as `twice the citizen'. They have a proud tradition of service to the community in peace and war. This country has produced perhaps the finest soldiers this century, and of course the Army reservists have played a very proud part in that tradition. They are an important link between the Australian Defence Force and our community.

Senator Ludwig is one of those who is part of that link, and it is a great link and an old link. Indeed it goes right back to Federation in 1901, when Australia had a military force—comprising militia and volunteers—of 27,000 people with a permanent force of only 1,500. The reserve forces comprised about 96½ per cent of Australia's total force and today of course they represent something like one third of Australia's defence forces.

It is important, and I certainly agree with the opposition, that we provide the men and women in our reserve force with the support, assistance and recognition that they deserve. It is important too that we recognise the support provided by the employers of reservists in allowing them to undertake training and in encouraging them to provide service to our nation. In return, those who participate in the reserve forces learn valuable skills in leadership and also trade skills.

Like Senator Ludwig, my brother David was an Army reservist. He was the first person to walk alone across Australia from the most easterly point to the most westerly point. He did so with three camels. He did it last year and he was the Australian Geographic national explorer of the year for 1998. He also raised a lot of money for the Fred Hollows Foundation. He attributes much of that great skill in walking across this entire nation by himself with the camels to the skills he learnt in the Army Reserve. Along with Senator Ludwig, he would have learnt things about navigation, how to control camels and all those sorts of things.

Reservists who volunteer to serve are paid a full-time military salary and, should they be deployed as part of the peace enforcement mission, they receive the same tax-free salary and allowances as their regular counterparts. Reservists are also covered by the same compensation arrangements as regulars when they serve as such. Medical specialists can have their fixed practice costs paid while they serve, thanks to our government's introduction of this condition of service.

Employees who are members of the reserve forces and serve with the Defence Force are protected, as Senator Abetz pointed out, under the existing provisions of the Defence Act 1903 and the Defence (Re-establishment) Act 1965 in relation to their civilian employment. These acts prohibit employers from being able to penalise or prejudice an employee who serves in the Defence Force; sections 8 and 9 of the Defence (Re-establishment) Act can be invoked and an employer fined under criminal law. This protection also extends to volunteers who are currently serving in East Timor—something like 38 officers and 49 other ranks in the Army, working principally in areas such as medicine, logistics and personnel.

Our workplace relations system is working well. Examples of companies who have flexible reserve leave include Telstra and the Commonwealth bank, and the Northern Territory government also does so. I pulled off the Web some statements from employers about the Army Reserve. For example, Mr Richard Bluck, who is the Executive Director of the Williamson Community Leadership Program, says:

Reserve service can enhance an employee's performance and expand an organisation's experience and skills base. The leadership and management training reservists acquire is excellent and is certainly applicable to all organisations public or private, big or small.

If employers and employees wish to make more comprehensive arrangements about service with the Defence Force, they can always of course make a formal agreement on the matter. Sadly but consistently, the ALP has opposed award simplification of any kind—and that was Senator Ferguson's argument. Although the ALP has claimed that reforms introduced in the Workplace Relations Act 1996 had an adverse effect on reservists, it certainly has not shown any particular problems with the manner in which the current reserve system is operating. The ALP option would mean a return to the system before 1996, when there were 152 federal awards—out of 3,000—which had some reference to leave for Army reservists. It was confusing and it was a shambles.

Labor's `one size fits all' forces employers to comply with rules that do not in fact fit the particular employee. Sadly, despite his role as a former defence minister, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Beazley, now seems confused as to how the amendments to the Workplace Relations Act that he introduced earlier this week will operate. As Senator Abetz pointed out, Mr Beazley seemed unsure, when interviewed on 6PR on Monday, whether reservists would receive unpaid or paid leave under his amendments. And the comments one day later from Mr Ferguson, the shadow minister for defence science and personnel, showed that Labor still does not understand the laws and arrangements governing reserve service. All that this does is cause unnecessary doubt about the contribution reservists can make to our efforts in East Timor at the moment.

This bill will not assist the Reserve and it certainly will not assist Australia's efforts in East Timor. The agenda here is not practical; it is actually ideologically driven. It calls for centralising outcomes, not for the flexibility necessary in the modern work force. And it is not necessary here, it is inappropriate and it flies in the face of modern workplace relations. It was a pillar of this country in 1901 but, as the opposition still do not understand, the world has changed. They live under the shade of the tree of knowledge at Barcaldine and they cannot get out of the shade.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator MASON —Within your lifetime the entire workplace relations system will change. It has to, to accord with flexible modern workplace arrangements.