Page 2387 - Week 06 - Thursday, 24 June 2010
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The government’s consultation with the sector has made it clear that certain workers in the security industry—for example, locksmiths, security equipment installers and security consultants—are not working under the same set of circumstances and the bill does not require these people to be involved in an information session process.
To acknowledge any lingering reservations about the operation of these new amendments the bill provides for a review after 12 months.
Mr Speaker, this is an important reform for security industry workers. It acknowledges the direct concerns raised by those workers and their union representatives about the isolation and the problems associated with working alone in this industry, often at unusual hours and in difficult circumstances. We recognise that most employers in the ACT security industry are doing the right thing. But for those few unscrupulous traders, these amendments, by making sure information flows to employees about workplace matters, will hold them to account and to the same high standard as the rest of the ACT security industry.
I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Ms Bresnan) adjourned to the next sitting.
Public Accounts—Standing Committee
Statement by chair
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
The Government Procurement Act 2001 requires agencies to provide the public accounts committee with a list of reportable contracts every six months. Reportable contracts are defined, with some exceptions, as procurement contracts over $20,000 that contain confidential text. Agencies provide the committee with the names of the contracting parties, the value of the contract and the nature of the contract.
The committee is aware that the information chief executives provide in relation to reportable contracts is readily available in the public domain on the ACT government contracts register.
The Minister for Territory and Municipal Services has informed the committee that consideration is being given to changing the process for the reporting of reportable contracts. As an interim step in this process, the committee again welcomed receiving the list of reportable contracts for this period in one consolidated report. The committee believes that there is value in the provision of a consolidated report for the six-monthly reporting periods. However, the committee is of the view that the purpose of scrutiny would be served by a report that combines the two current six-monthly reporting periods. The committee has written to the responsible minister on this matter to convey its views.
The public accounts committee believes that this information should be available to all members, and the committee will continue to table these lists as it receives them. I therefore seek leave to table the list of reportable contracts for the period 1 October 2009 to 31 March 2010 as received by the public accounts committee.
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