Page 1529 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 July 2020
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I take this opportunity to particularly thank the workers in my respective portfolios who have continued to work and deliver service and policy advice through this uncertain time. Particular thanks go to those frontline workers in corrections and mental health, justice health, and alcohol and drug services who have maintained face-to-face service delivery through this difficult period, keeping the community safe and supported.
As has been noted, the territory has done relatively well so far in containing the spread of COVID-19. It is also important that the territory takes a slow approach in returning to usual practice in activities and continues to abide by the expert health advice from the Chief Health Officer. We need to move at the pace that the advice tells us and not what we think should happen. We must try and take an evidence-based approach to it. We certainly do not want to find ourselves suddenly having an outbreak. What is happening in Victoria at the moment is a reminder to all of us of just how quickly something like this can happen. We need to remain diligent and committed to follow the public health advice we are given.
I know that for some people it is frustrating and some are confused by the different standards in different places. Having sat in the cabinet discussions about these things, I assure members of the community that the Chief Health Officer is looking very closely at all of the information available to her and her team. She has given the government the best advice she can for the circumstances in which Canberra finds itself.
The ACT public service, in the multitude of workplaces across the territory, has made fantastic and commendable efforts to support workforces to work from home. I have heard a lot of positive experiences, both in the public sector and in the private sector, of efforts that have been made and of the flexibility that both bosses and staff have shown in trying to keep safe, have a COVID-safe work approach and also keep their business or their service going as much as possible.
I know a lot of people have worked incredibly long hours to make working from home a comfortable, safe and functioning transition for public service employees. At one stage 85 per cent of the Health Directorate were working safely from home. I never thought that that would be something I would see happen, but no-one can argue that the Health Directorate lost productivity as it supported the government and the territory through the health crisis, and we have seen that in a lot of places. I have even heard a few people saying that they feel that their productivity has gone up.
Today’s motion certainly aligns with the Greens’ policy platform on workplace wellbeing principles, where we state that we believe workplace laws should provide better work-life balance, with people having more control over their working arrangements and the right to flexible working practices.
Mr Gupta’s motion also has relevance to the ACT wellbeing framework announced by the Chief Minister on Canberra Day this year. That piece of work demonstrates the ACT’s commitment to upholding the quality of life of all Canberrans and ensuring that Canberra continues to be the progressive society we know our citizens want. The
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