Page 858 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 13 March 1991
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Mr Berry: Ozone layers are a bit higher than that.
MR DUBY: Ozone levels, I should say - is being carried out this afternoon. The department's occupational health and safety officers, the health surveillance staff and the chief medical officer are all involved to ensure that the offices are completely safe before they will be cleared to be reoccupied. The first floor will also be checked and tested.
As you are well aware, those offices have been occupied by the Chief Minister's personnel unit and the disruption will result in some delays in processing pay variations, such as HDA, leave entitlements, et cetera. The normal pays will be paid as these are automatically processed through the Department of Finance's computer system. As I said, all responsible methods of testing to find out exactly what the problem is are being undertaken. Until such time as the area has been cleared as being fit for human habitation or whatever, all the other staff on that second floor will remain at home until relocation to alternative suitable accommodation is completed. I anticipate that that will be agreed to in a day or so.
MS FOLLETT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker, and it is to Mr Kaine, to whom I did address the question. Mr Kaine, given that they are staff from your own department, the department for which you have ministerial responsibility, I would ask: Were you advised of the problem and of the arrangements made to rectify it, and, if not, why not? Why did you not answer the question?
MR KAINE: No, I was not advised, Mr Speaker, and I imagine that I was not advised because it is an accommodation problem, and that is properly the responsibility of the Minister - - -
Ms Follett: You are the Minister.
MR KAINE: I do not provide accommodation. That is the responsibility of the Minister for Urban Services and I directed your question to him. You have had your answer, and my answer to you is the same as it was then. I was not advised because it is an accommodation problem and it is a matter for the Minister for Urban Services, who, I might point out, in case it has escaped your notice, also happens to be Minister for Finance. The staff, in fact, probably work for him, if the truth be known.
Ms Follett: No, they are in the Chief Minister's Department. He said that. They are Chief Minister's Department staff.
MR KAINE: I know that, but some of those people work for him.
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