Page 4457 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Madam Speaker, it is worth noting that officers of the Northern Territory Government made similar observations to those of their South Australian counterparts. They stated that uniform legislation with wide coverage and greater flexibility was a prime consideration when they were formalising their public sector reforms. The recently enacted Public Sector Employment Management Act 1993 covers some 14,000 Northern Territory public servants. The Northern Territory's Act includes teachers, nurses and employees of the Power and Water Authority. Among the few exceptions are police officers and some uniformed staff.
The Northern Territory officials reinforced the need to give chief executive officers greater responsibilities. Flexibility in achieving the aims of the government of the day was a primary consideration in developing greater responsibility. The appointment of staff to the equivalent of the Northern Territory's senior executive levels is by contract, based upon performance. This is in accordance with the notion that with greater responsibilities goes greater accountability.
The Northern Territory Office of the Commissioner of Public Employment was firmly of the opinion that consultation and negotiation with unions were vital to effective public sector reform. Greater flexibility has been achieved with the minimum of industrial unrest and with a good deal of worker satisfaction. The Northern Territory Government was looking to broadbanding odd classifications and appointments to level, rather than position, as the next stages of public sector reform.
Worker awareness and education were another key facet of their successful management of changes to public sector management. The Northern Territory Government had invested a considerable amount of time and effort in training workers and managers in their responsibilities leading up to enactment of legislation. Madam Speaker, we were told that the nine months between the draft legislation being available for consultation and the date of its enactment was invaluable. It allowed employees to examine the consequences of the legislation and to be assured of their new roles and responsibilities.
Madam Speaker, the Northern Territory Government also arranged for the committee to lunch informally with Commonwealth officers affected by their transfer to the Northern Territory Public Service. They made their opinions of the transition period plain and advised us to ensure that transfer occurred so as to provide uniform conditions for all officers. At present transferees are eligible for entitlements which are not available to other Northern Territory public servants. The entitlements are based on the date of transfer and are seen as contentious and divisive.
To summarise briefly, Madam Speaker: Our hosts in South Australia and the Northern Territory advised us that the ACT would be wise to aim for a simple piece of legislation, one offering a statement of principles of public sector employment and management and one which identifies the key roles of a commissioner for public employment. They felt that the majority of the workings of the legislation should be contained either in subordinate regulations or in other instruments which are subject to the oversight of the legislature.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .