Page 163 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 December 2016
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There was a second question regarding OHS matters. I can advise that the ACT public service of course is committed to promoting, achieving and maintaining the highest levels of health and safety for all its employees. The ACT public service nursing and midwifery enterprise agreement provides terms and conditions for nurses and midwives that reflect flexible working arrangements and demonstrates a commitment to providing employees with a work-life balance.
The agreement also addresses issues related to fatigue, with specific clauses linked to rest breaks following on-call night duty and overtime. Clause 94 of the agreement addresses the issue of reasonable overtime, stating that an employee has the right to refuse a request to work overtime, having regard to the employee’s fatigue management. Eighteen days of personal leave is available to nurses and midwives to enable them to be absent from duty because of illness, injury, family member support, and for extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances. Personal leave supports the territory’s commitment to a healthy workplace and workforce.
When Canberra Hospital is functioning above its capacity, management uses contingent staff, which includes casuals, overtime and agency staff, to provide the additional resources required to ensure safe staffing. The ACT health fatigue management policy provides overall direction in the proactive management of staff fatigue and outlines roles and responsibilities for managers and for staff.
The final question from Ms Lee was: since I have become Minister for Health has the hospital been operating at or above 100 per cent capacity? It has not, but I also note, as was noted in the last quarterly report, that some years ago the target indicator for hospital occupancy moved from 85 to 90 per cent, and we are considering revising that now in light of improvements we have made within the hospital.
Land Development Agency
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (3.37): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes, regarding operations of the Land Development Agency (LDA):
(a) the Auditor-General published in a performance audit, Report 7/2016:
(i) manipulation of documents requested under Freedom of Information;
(ii) a lack of transparency, accountability and rigour in processes; and
(iii) major issues around integrity and probity at the LDA;
(b) the former Commonwealth Auditor-General, Ian McPhee, was to conduct a review into the Agency; and
(c) on 29 September, the day before the Auditor-General’s report was published, the Chief Minister announced that the functions of the LDA would be split into two agencies; and
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