Page 538 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 March 2023
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MR COCKS: Minister, was it not short-sighted to build a $14.3 million surge centre, which for $60,000 to $75,000 could have been used as a treatment space, without ensuring it could be staffed, given COVID patients ended up being put in a tent outside the ED?
Mr Hanson: Can you understand that one?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I understand that we can draw multiple connections between different unconnected issues, but Mr Cocks, I have just indicated the Garran Surge Centre was staffed. It was staffed for the use that it was being used for.
I have to say, Mr Acting Speaker, that Ms Castley did actually probably pick the right issue when the story about the surge centre was running, which was the question that she has asked, which I think was a legitimate question of “if it was only going to cost you $60,000 to $75,000 to turn it into a space that could be treated as a ward or treatment space, why did you not do it?” But the answer to that question was the exact answer that I gave her at the time. That was not the best use of the surge centre at the time. That was not the best use of the surge centre at the time. The surge centre was being used as a testing site. It was being used as a COVID-19 clinic. That was determined to be the best use of the surge centre at the time, and it was staffed for that.
Schools—staff welfare
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Education. Minister, I refer now to multiple reports outlining the problems with violence, bullying and harassment in ACT schools. Recently released statistics show that the ACT runs one of the most unsafe workplaces in the country in its schools, with three-quarters of ACT principals facing threats of actual violence.
In response, the Australian Education Union issued a statement:
Sadly, this result does not come as a surprise … What it reveals is a lack of effective action by the ACT Government.
Let me say that again from the Australian Education Union:
Sadly, this result does not come as a surprise … What it reveals is a lack of effective action by the ACT Government … The ACT Government is big on reassurance and commitment to supporting Principals in their safety and wellbeing, but light on action. We cannot wait any longer. Our members deserve respect and they have a right to be safe in their workplace.
Minister, why has there—as stated by the Australian Education Union—been no effective action by your government, when these studies show that ACT schools are now one of the most unsafe workplaces in the country?
MS BERRY: I thank Mr Hanson for the question. In responding to that, my first statement would be that violence is never acceptable anywhere and it is definitely not acceptable in any of our schools. Unfortunately, this is a broader societal problem
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