Page 1933 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 16 June 1993
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MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question now is: That the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for the next sitting.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.58): Mr Deputy Speaker, I note that on the daily program there are orders of the day Nos 3 and 4, dealing with the petrol prices paper referred to by the Minister and the Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Bill, also referred to by the Minister. I wonder whether it is possible to have this matter made an order of the day for later today rather than for the next sitting day?
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am in the Assembly's hands. Is that the wish of the Assembly?
MR HUMPHRIES: I move the following amendment:
Omit "the next sitting", substitute "a later hour this day".
Amendment agreed to.
Question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.
CHIEF MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT - MANAGEMENT
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Madam Speaker has received a letter from Mr Stevenson proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The ineffectual management of the Chief Minister's Department and the resulting detrimental effects caused.
MR STEVENSON (3.59): A survey of members of the Chief Minister's Department asked the question, "What do you not like about working in the department?". Fifty-three per cent said, "Management". I believe that there are grave concerns about managerial incompetence within the Chief Minister's Department, and we must look at the ramifications for the ACT as a whole. Let me mention the survey details. The survey was distributed to all 313 of the Chief Minister's Department staff and a total of 193 returns were received, representing a response rate of 62 per cent. In all, there were 49 questions asked. The survey was done between 9 and 21 September 1992 and a report was compiled in November last year.
Firstly, let me say that I have no doubt whatsoever that there are many excellent staff within the Chief Minister's Department. However, many of them are undergoing a term of hard labour, through no fault of their own. We must understand that it is no good for the Chief Minister to blame other people within her department for the appalling lack of morale and the managerial incompetence that the survey showed. She has the power to hire, to fire, to move aside, to change positions, to train and so on.
What the survey shows is, in a quantified manner, how members of her department are handled. It must be understood that these people are amongst those closest to the Chief Minister. Let me read some of the survey results. Staff indicated that management does not consistently make good staffing decisions. It has 25 per cent positive, and it goes along in that vein in the survey.
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