Page 6127 - Week 18 - Thursday, 12 December 1991

APPENDIX 1:

(Incorporated in Hansard on 10 December 1991 at page 5767)

CHIEF MINISTER FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE

10 DECEMBER 1991

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION:

MR DUBY: GIVEN THE FACT THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY

PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THEY ARE SURPLUS OFFICERS AND

THAT THEY HAVE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME FOR FINAL TERM EMPLOYMENT

OR TO TAKE A PACKAGE. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY CHIEF MINISTER

CANNOT PROVIDE THIS ASSEMBLY WITH A LIST OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

WHO RECEIVE SUCH NOTIFICATION, AS OF CLOSE OF BUSINESS TODAY.

MY ANSWER IS:

I ASSUME MR DUBY IS REFERRING TO THE GOVERNMENTS BUDGET DECISION

TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFING ACROSS THE A.C.T.

GOVERNMENT SERVICE.

FIRST I SHOULD REPEAT THAT MY GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO

FOLLOWING THE PROVISIONS OF THE REDEPLOYMENT AND RETIREMENT

(REDUNDANCY) AWARD, AND THE AGREEMENTS NEGOTIATED WITH UNIONS.

IN THAT PROCESS, LAST WEEK MOST AGENCIES PRESENTED RESTRUCTURING

PLANS TO UNIONS, THAT SHOWED POTENTIALLY (NOT ACTUALLY) SURPLUS

POSITIONS. THE UNIONS AND MANAGEMENT WILL CONSIDER THESE PLANS

OVER THE NEXT MONTH. ONLY AT THE END OF THIS CONSULTATIVE

PROCESS WILL POSITIONS BE IDENTIFIED AS ACTUALLY SURPLUS AND THE

OCCUPANTS OF SUCH POSITIONS AS POTENTIALLY EXCESS OFFICERS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE "ERR" AWARD EMPHASIS WILL BE GIVEN TO

REDEPLOYING THOSE STAFF. ONLY WHERE IT APPEARS THAT REDEPLOYMENT

IS IMPRACTICABLE WILL THESE STAFF BE OFFERED THE CHOICE OF

VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY AND THIS PART OF THE PROCESS IS SUBJECT TO

THE APPROVAL OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. FOR THOSE WHO ARE

OFFERED AND DECLINE VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY THEY WILL REMAIN OUR

EMPLOYEES.