Page 1019 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
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January and February of this year, was resolved at least temporarily by the referral of the issues, including the roster changes and other issues, to the structural efficiency process negotiations under the Industrial Relations Commission. The Industrial Relations Commission is still considering those issues. However, I can say that I still expect every dollar of the savings that the Government had hoped to make from those measures to be achieved - every dollar, if not more.
Members will be aware that the Industrial Relations Commission has expressed publicly strong views on the need for restructuring the nurses' career structure and other things to do with their conditions. As I said, I am quite confident that that will result in all the savings that the Government had hoped for. It is clearly impossible to answer Ms Follett's question at this stage since, in effect, the outcome of the dispute is not yet known.
House Fire - Asbestos Release
MS MAHER: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Urban Services. I refer to an article in today's Canberra Times which reports an explosion and fire in a house at Giralang which contained asbestos. Can the Minister tell the Assembly what steps were taken to ensure the safety of the public in the area? What arrangements were made for temporary accommodation for the local residents, and what action has been taken to monitor and clean the area?
MR DUBY: I thank Ms Maher for the question. Members of the Assembly would be aware that yesterday a house insulated with asbestos caught fire and was gutted. During the fire some asbestos was released into the atmosphere, there is no question about that. Although the asbestos dissipated, initial air monitoring readings from the house site indicated that the levels of asbestos in the immediate adjacent area were sufficient to take precautions.
As a result of that monitoring and as a public health precaution, officers from my Asbestos Branch offered alternative accommodation to neighbours of that gutted house last night. However, of the some 14 neighbours offered accommodation, I believe only four or five took up the offer; the rest felt it was sufficiently safe to stay in their homes.
Following overnight air monitoring, the neighbours have now been advised that it is perfectly safe to return to their homes and to live near the burnt out house. The asbestos in the house is currently wet and poses no health hazard. I can assure members that eventually it will be completely sprayed and sealed onto the remains of the house and those remains of the property will then be removed and disposed of at an asbestos dump. Everything there is now safe.
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