Page 3030 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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Sexual Harassment
MR MOORE: Madam Speaker, my question is addressed to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, considering your stance on sexual harassment and your responsibility for all ACT public servants, what disciplinary action has been taken about an incident involving a secretary of an ACT department and the sexual harassment of a public servant on the fifth floor? What action have you taken to determine whether this is an isolated incident with a particular departmental secretary, and how does this sort of behaviour from such a senior public figure affect the implementation of your policies on sexual harassment?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Moore for the question, Madam Speaker, and I thank him also for giving me some notice of it. It did enable me to do some checking on this issue. I have been advised that there has not been a complaint lodged on this matter. Nevertheless, Madam Speaker, if a complaint is made, I can certainly assure the Assembly that it will be handled quickly and with the utmost seriousness, and using the same processes as are used for public servants.
On the more general question of sexual harassment, the Government's policy on that matter, Madam Speaker, is simply that it will not be tolerated. I do not believe that there is any excuse for it and I believe that it must be eliminated in the ACT Government Service, as in all other workplaces. I believe that we do have good systems in place to respond to any complaints, and especially to support any person making a complaint. There is a network of trained sexual harassment contact officers, and policies and procedures are readily available to all employees. Madam Speaker, finally, I would refer members to the Public Service Commission document entitled "Eliminating Sexual Harassment", which is what I would be using in addressing a question such as Mr Moore has raised, should a complaint be lodged.
Health Budget
MRS CARNELL: My question is to Mr Berry, the Minister for Health. My question concerns the recently released September quarter activity report for ACT Health. Page 1 of that report is purported to provide financial information about ACT Health, but in reality very little information is presented. The information we do have indicates that ACT Health is currently running over budget, but we have no indication as to the precise extent. Can the Minister now tell us what the precise budget overrun is at this time?
MR BERRY: You say that you have information that shows that the budget is overrun?
Mrs Carnell: Well, that is what your information shows - the first page of the activity report.
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, the activity report that was provided to the people of the ACT is one of a series which is planned and which will provide a large amount of information about the performance of our hospital system. It contains financial information, and a whole lot of other activity information as well. I have to add that, across Australia, it is the only hospital system I know of which provides information in that shape and form and to that degree.
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