Page 713 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 May 1992
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Chief Minister's Staff
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Chief Minister. Since SES equivalent staffers, whether in the Chief Minister's office or elsewhere, were not entitled to the use of publicly owned vehicles during the three years of the life of the First Assembly, when and how was this condition of service introduced? What was the process by which these conditions were agreed when your staffers were engaged? Do these changes apply to all LA(MS) Act employees, and how and when will the changes be promulgated?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I thank Mr De Domenico for the question. I should say at the outset that under the terms of the LA(MS) Act, in fact, subsection 6(1), it is provided that, unless otherwise specified, the terms and conditions of employment of staff engaged under the Act are "the same as the terms and conditions applicable in relation to an officer performing the duties of an office in the Australian Public Service having a classification specified in the agreement for the employment of the person". So, the terms and conditions of people employed under the LA(MS) Act are the same as for those employed under the Public Service Act.
Accordingly, Madam Speaker, where there is an SES classification specified in the relevant contract of employment, the usual conditions of employment for an SES officer would apply unless they were to be varied, and it is up to the Chief Minister to vary them. I have not, and, to my knowledge, neither did Mr Kaine while he was Chief Minister.
I would like to say, Madam Speaker, that provision of a vehicle is not a condition of service of an SES officer but it is certainly the usual administrative provision. It is a provision that is made as part of the SES package, in fact. On this basis I do have the discretion to allow the provision of a privately plated vehicle and I have made use of that provision. I would also like to say that it is entirely consistent with the guidelines that the ACT fleet administration adhere to where a vehicle is made available or may be made available to an officer at the SES or equivalent classification, if they are actually appointed to that position or, in fact, if they are acting at that level for a certain period.
MR DE DOMENICO: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Why, therefore, have these staff members not had vehicles before, Ms Follett?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, my guess is that nobody asked for one.
Canberra Airport - International Freight Centre
MR MOORE: My question is addressed to the Chief Minister and refers to the viability of a 24-hour freight airport and the feasibility study that, according to media reports, you have assigned $250,000 to. Have you set terms of reference that would take into account the social impact of a freight airport as well as the environmental aspects, particularly in relation to rail and road transport out of the ACT? What is planned in terms of community consultation on this feasibility study?
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