Page 1272 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 16 April 1991
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Mr Speaker, the need for a separate equal employment opportunity program for the Department of Justice and Community Services arose when that department was formally created only in last July. Before that the constituent parts of the Deputy Chief Minister's portfolio were covered by various equal employment opportunity programs. The department's draft equal employment opportunity program was forwarded to the ACT Trades and Labour Council in November last year as a basis for consultation, and was subsequently circulated to specific unions involved in this department seeking their comments. In addition, comment has been sought from the Public Service Commission and its reply is expected by the 26th of this month.
Pending finalisation of the program, which will occur as soon as the Public Service Commission and final union comments are received, a number of procedural steps have been taken in that department. They include the appointment of a full-time equal employment opportunity coordinator for the department, and the creation of an equal employment opportunity subcommittee of the departmental consultative council. That subcommittee held its first meeting last week. This program was, in fact, one of the matters that they discussed. Distributions of all equal employment opportunity policy statements have been made to all staff.
Mr Speaker, it has taken a little time in this case to get a program into place; but, as I pointed out, we are waiting on comment from concerned and involved people. In the meantime, we have taken what steps are necessary to make sure that the objectives of our equal opportunity program are being put into place.
MR SPEAKER: I would like to bring filming to a close. The sitting will be suspended until such time as the cameras are removed. At the same time, I would like to state that I believe it would be inappropriate for the filming crews to use that footage of the disturbance in the chamber, and I would like to put that embargo on that filming.
Sitting suspended from 3.26 to 3.34 pm
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
MR BERRY: I seek leave to make a statement pursuant to standing order 46.
MR SPEAKER: Do you claim to have been misrepresented?
MR BERRY: I do, sir. Mr Speaker, during his speech in relation to ambulances, Mr Humphries imputed that I had in some way - either by my actions outside of this Assembly or by my statements herein - reflected badly on the professional attitude of ambulance officers. I find that imputation offensive and, of course, untrue. It has been
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