Page 2109 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 9 September 1992
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Mr Kaine: Well, what are you?
MR CONNOLLY: Let me tell you. The ACTEW board today has announced that its apprenticeship intake - - -
Mr Kaine: Don't tell us what ACTEW is doing. What are you doing?
MR CONNOLLY: ACTEW, the statutory authority, for which I am the Minister responsible, will be taking on - - -
Mr De Domenico: The same ones who give the over-award payments - - -
MADAM SPEAKER: Will the Opposition members cease interjecting, please. I cannot hear Mr Connolly.
MR CONNOLLY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. ACTEW will be taking on eight apprentices over the next 12 months, which is the same number as they took on over the last 12 months. This is in a climate where around Australia, the vocational training authorities tell us, the private sector is dramatically contracting the number of apprenticeships. ACTEW has been able to continue to offer those eight apprenticeships. At the end of this year seven fourth year apprentices within ACTEW will be leaving the organisation. By taking on eight next year, ACTEW will increase to 38 its number of apprenticeships.
A particularly pleasing aspect of ACTEW's apprenticeship training program is that, of the apprentices who terminated their training last year - that is, the fourth year apprentices who left at the beginning of 1992 - over half are employed in the private sector. So, Madam Speaker, the public sector, under the administration of this Labor Government, is upholding its responsibilities to provide apprenticeship training; and those apprentices are then moving on and often finding employment in the private sector.
I am also pleased to indicate to Ms Ellis, who is interested in what practical things are being done about youth unemployment rather than grandstanding, as the Opposition seem to want to do, that we have also taken on three trainee hydrologists and we are offering a civil engineering scholarship for a female student. That is very important, because the science and engineering professions have tended to be very much male dominated and it can be difficult to provide incentives for women to enter those fields. ACTEW is fulfilling its responsibilities as a responsible part of this community under this Government by continuing to provide opportunities to young Canberrans.
Woden Valley Hospital - Psychiatric Beds
MRS CARNELL: My question is addressed to the Minister for Health, Mr Berry, because we do not want him to feel left out. Can the Minister tell the Assembly whether it is true that six psychiatric beds - that is, nearly 20 per cent of the available beds in the psychiatric unit - are to be closed at Woden Valley Hospital at a time of year that is historically a period of particularly high need? If this is true, can the Minister tell us for how long the beds will be closed? Can he confirm that the reason for this closure is the unavailability of staff due to holidays and illness? Remember, you are supposed to know about this daily.
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