Page 2889 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 August 1991
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MR WOOD: In the supplementary question Mr Stevenson did what he should have done in the first part of his question and at least named the movie. It seems to me rather like Rhona Joyner stuff. That may not mean much to people in this part of the world, but with people from Queensland it will ring a bell, along with the banning of books such as Catcher in the Rye.
Mr Berry: Everybody in Queensland read it once it was banned.
MR WOOD: That is true. I would encourage Mr Stevenson, when he has a concern, to be specific and - like some of the movies he complains about - explicit when he asks a question, and I will respond. I believe that the teachers provide appropriate materials to their students. I will give his question some thought. I will not commit myself to asking the Education Department to give me a report on it. I want to think about whether I want to do that. But I will let you know whether or not I will take it further.
Government Service - Staff Cuts
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister in her role as Minister in charge of public administration. Is it correct that Ms Follett has identified a number of positions to go in the Territory public service - some 250, as I understand it? I also ask the Chief Minister whether it is true that agencies and departments have been asked to find across-the-board cuts - in some instances of 10 or 20 positions? If those facts are correct, does the Chief Minister agree that the Institute of Public Administration and other commentators have long agreed that this is not the way to go about staff cuts, and that the correct way is to look at functional reviews at the same time? As well, as the Chief Minister would appreciate, cuts left to senior management often fall upon the weak, including auxiliary and assisting positions, and that often impacts on women. I wonder whether the Chief Minister could comment in general on the process she has instituted.
MS FOLLETT: I think it is clear to all members in the Assembly, as a result of the budget strategy statement and other statements I have made, that there is an intention to make some budget savings by staff reductions. Mr Collaery is roughly correct as to the number of positions; it is roughly 250. In a total staffing figure of close to 22,000 for the ACT Government Service as a whole, 250 is not an inordinate number.
I would like to make a few comments in relation to Mr Collaery's further points. Firstly, nobody will be sacked under these arrangements. The means of making these staff cuts will be in full consultation with the Trades and Labour Council and the unions involved. There is to be nothing underhand here; it will be done in an up-front way
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