Page 426 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 June 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
invite members of the Assembly to see what the situation is in Japan, for example, on this front. The degree to which the Japanese maintain people in the work force, being productive through their lives, is absolutely extraordinary and dramatic.
This, therefore, Mr Speaker, brings me to clause 16. I am absolutely sure that the Minister and his staff had no intention to discriminate against people over 65. No doubt this is the kind of clause that has appeared in legislation year after year for many, many years. But I hope that now we will truly be striking a blow for the greying people and the grey people in our community.
I want to stress that, as a special reason for this, these particular appointments under the Bill are not full-time public service appointments; these are the appointments to the board of 10. One is a full-time appointment - the director - but these appointments come from a range of constituencies, including the trade union movement, business and the public at large.
So there should be no statement to those constituencies such as, "You may not appoint anyone over 65". Furthermore, the kinds of skills needed on this board are broad as well as technical. We need areas of wisdom, of experience, on the board. Maturity is very much needed for this kind of organisation and institution. Often, in an age of early, voluntary retirement - may I stress "voluntary" - excellent people of great competence are in our community who have much to offer in the way of continuing public service.
I have no question at all that in every board, or institution, as we should have equity for men and women, so we should have equity for age groups. There is no doubt that those of us in our magnificently autumnal years may face health problems, but I would draw the attention of the Assembly to clause 21(1) of the Bill, which gives a chance to deal with that. Let us suppose, for the sake of argument, someone who is 73 and who had a stroke was not able to continue. Clause 21 (1) states:
The Minister may terminate the appointment of a member of the Authority for misbehaviour -
That is not that -
or physical or mental incapacity.
In other words, there is a chance under the Bill to say to someone who is incapacitated, and obviously incapacitated, "Thank you, friend, for your worthy service, but it is now time for that service to come to an end". In other words, the board would be protected by another clause in the Bill.
So, at this time, on behalf of the Rally, I certainly endorse what is essentially an excellent and practical Bill
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .