Page 1339 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 August 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Division. It is a very new arrangement. I think that, as I indicated on Monday night, that unit needs to be in close contact with the private sector. It is very early days yet for them to have undertaken a great deal of that work but it certainly is the intention that it will be part of the unit's work to consult with the private sector, to talk to them about the effect business regulation is having upon them.
Mr Speaker, I reiterate what I have said on many occasions, which is that the Government sees the private sector really holding the key to the future economic development of the ACT. We will be looking to the private sector for all of our growth in the employment area, I believe, because in the public sector we have seen, consistently, a slowdown in growth, and in the last year or so no growth whatsoever, in employment in the public sector.
So the Government has a very realistic approach, I believe, to the private sector. We look to them for our growth. We look to them for future opportunities in the ACT. But, at the same time, we recognise that at times government regulations can act to stifle enterprise, and it is the aim of the review unit to ensure that new legislation and new regulations do not act in that way and to keep the matter constantly under review - to do so, of course, in consultation with the private sector.
Public Servants - Relationship with Media
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister as Minister responsible for the public service. Chief Minister, I refer you to an article in the Canberra Times of 22 August by Philip Hobbs which referred to the fact that certain ACT public servants, unnamed, have criticised me. Chief Minister, have you yet set guidelines for the senior echelons of the ACT public service for their relationship with the media?
MS FOLLETT: Members will be aware that all members of the ACT government service are still employed under the Federal Public Service Act, and the provisions and conditions that apply under that Act, of course, apply to them. There are guidelines that have been issued as a Federal public service initiative on the public presentation of public servants and relations with the media. It is my understanding that those provisions are in force in the ACT Government's administration. I, myself, have not issued any further instruction on that matter.
MR COLLAERY: I ask a supplementary question. Chief Minister, in the event that you satisfy yourself that senior civil servants are active in making comments of that nature, would you undertake to ask them to abide by the guidelines you have just referred to?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .