Page 1011 - Week 04 - Thursday, 18 June 1992
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We also welcome the EPACT report titled "The ACT Youth Labour Market", a report prepared for the Chief Minister. This report has carefully examined the youth labour market and has listed 18 recommendations. In the press release accompanying the release of the report the Chief Minister has said:
While the latest youth unemployment rate for the ACT of 11.7 per cent is extremely encouraging, I will continue to take every action possible to assist our young people in improving their career prospects.
Further, she said:
Those seeking full-time employment, while comparatively small in numbers in the ACT, are more at risk of moving into long-term unemployment. The EPACT recommendations relate to access to jobs in the public sector, private sector, and vocational training.
The Chief Minister has referred the report to the Youth Advisory Council and to Ministers and their departments for comment. The Chief Minister said in her press statement that, given the importance of the issues raised in the EPACT report, the Government is giving urgent attention to those recommendations.
Madam Speaker, given the level of community concern attached to many of the areas within the terms of reference of the Social Policy Committee, I expect that at the conclusion of our current aged accommodation inquiry we will again pursue a lively debate when deciding our next self-referred inquiry. I am personally gratified that when we reach that point the full terms of reference of our committee can again be considered in the light of the community priorities at that time. As chair of this committee, I would like to record my thanks to all members of the committee for the manner in which this inquiry was conducted.
MS SZUTY (12.06): Madam Speaker, I hereby register my dissent from the Social Policy Committee's decision "that the committee recommends that a select committee on youth unemployment not be established". The chair of the Social Policy Committee, Ms Ellis, quite rightly points out that the issue of youth unemployment falls within the parameters of this standing committee of the Assembly because, under its existing terms of reference, both "employment" and "youth affairs" are expressly mentioned in the committee's terms of reference. Ms Ellis also reports that on 15 April 1992 the Social Policy Committee discussed at length whether to undertake an inquiry into youth unemployment or whether to undertake an inquiry into aged accommodation and support services.
I feel that I need to say to members that I have no difficulty with an inquiry into aged accommodation and support services. In fact, I welcome it - - -
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I hate to stop Ms Szuty in full flight, but this report has been tabled. Quite clearly, what Ms Szuty is reading is her dissenting report that has already been tabled. I wonder whether we should simply accept the fact that it has been tabled and leave it at that.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Kaine, there is a question before us that the report be noted, and that allows debate to ensue because it is noted rather than tabled.
Mr Kaine: It seems rather pointless to read a document that is already attached to the report that has been tabled. The report is tabled and she is just reading it.
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