Page 3542 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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reiterate that in the 19th century, furlough was a privilege granted by legislation to the colonial and Indian services due to the duration of travel by ship of people backwards and forwards from England. As an immigrant myself, I spent four weeks on a ship travelling from England to Australia at that time, and I can imagine how difficult it was for people who were separated from their families by such a long trip. I think it is wonderful that those furloughs were granted to people to allow them to return to their families. I am very pleased to be able to stand here today and support this bill. I encourage members of the Assembly to support this legislation put forward by this government.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella—Minister for Disability and Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (11.07), in reply: Not since Mrs Dunne’s 21st birthday has it been all about her. This is not all about you, Mrs Dunne; this is all about working people.
I am delighted to have the opportunity here today to explain to members how the Stanhope Labor government is delivering administrative and structural reform to both the Construction Industry Long Service Leave Board and the Contract Cleaning Industry Long Service Leave Board. Delivery of long service leave arrangements in both these sectors has grown independently, although administered and supported through the same group of public servants burdened with duplication of fiduciary, actuarial and statutory reporting obligations. Faced with this administrative duplication, the prospect of an expanded long service leave program with the incorporation of the community sector, the government chose to act and accept the challenge of redesigning the scheme’s administrative structure.
It was also part of the government’s thinking that, with these challenges, came a terrific opportunity to examine what might be best for an integrated scheme and what type of board arrangements would best meet the emerging and future needs of this new entity. Until now, the view was that it was simply a case of drawing representation from a particular business or employee sector, bringing them together and leaving them to their best devices, supported by the registrar.
The reality today is that the new authority deserves to have the best minds from across our community applied to the business of making well-thought-through and informed strategic economic decisions on behalf of all contributors and beneficiaries. The objective for the government is to provide the best outcome for all those with an investment in the integrated scheme, employers and workers.
We are proposing that the new board consist of a maximum of seven members. That is what we are proposing. While I intend to seek nominations from peak business and employee groups, including the trade union movement, I will also be seeking nominations from across the insurance and commercial sectors of the Canberra community.
The government’s view is very clear: attract to the board those within our community who have the business and actuarial experience to enable sound, strategic decisions to be made in an environment conducive with best practice and in accordance with an
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