Page 438 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 February 1993
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Vocational Training Authority - Appointments
MR CORNWELL: Madam Speaker, my question is addressed to Mr Wood, unless he has passed this matter, along with the University of Canberra and the ANU, over to the Chief Minister. I ask Mr Wood: Is it a fact that the Vocational Training Authority's membership appointments expired in August last year? If so, is it also a fact that a meeting a fortnight ago to confirm new appointments did not proceed because it was not quorate? Thirdly, what do you propose to do about this situation?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I will check back into the processes and see whether what Mr Cornwell says is correct. I know that we have been attending to the membership of the Vocational Training Authority. I am not aware that any meeting has fallen through for lack of a quorum. There have been vacancies in both the employer and the union designations. I have a series of names that have been proposed to fill those vacancies. I will check whether they have passed through all the processes or not, and I will get back to you.
Worksafe Australia
MS ELLIS: My question is directed to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for Industrial Relations. Is the Minister able to inform this Assembly on any advice that he has received on the abolition of Worksafe Australia and its effect on occupational health and safety standards in the ACT?
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, I thank Ms Ellis for the question, and I am happy to respond to it. This morning Mr Humphries made great play on the issue of Worksafe's future, saying that anybody who said that Worksafe was going to be disbanded or emasculated or done over by a Hewson government was telling a big porky. Madam Speaker, I will just read to you from Fightback:
The National Occupational Health and Safety Commission was established in 1985 as an element of Labor's Accord with the ACTU.
That is enough to cause paranoia amongst the Liberals. Fightback goes on:
The Coalition Parties opposed establishment of the Commission -
they do not like occupational health and safety -
and continue to do so because we consider occupational health and safety matters are better addressed by the State Governments in conjunction with industry.
That is, they do not want a national coordinating body that would do it in much the same way as I described this morning. It continues:
Abolition of the Commission will save $18.5 million.
Mr Humphries, that is very clear. It will be abolished.
Mr Humphries: Does it say that?
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