Page 3344 - Week 11 - Thursday, 22 September 1994
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Further, ILO matters are regular agenda items for the Industrial Relations Advisory Council. IRAC brings together representatives of unions, employers and government in the Territory, reflecting the tripartite structure of the ILO itself. The most recent meeting of IRAC gave its full support to my making this statement to the Assembly to celebrate this important anniversary. Additionally, IRAC assists in examining and advising the best approaches for implementing particular conventions. For example, the Government established the ACT Work and Family Advisory Service as a result of its obligations under convention No. 156 - workers with family responsibilities - following discussion at IRAC.
Overall, the ACT has now provided its agreement to the ratification of most of the major conventions. A number of these have been ratified at the national level, and several more are expected to be ratified by the Federal Government over the next couple of years. The bulk of this progress has been achieved under a Labor government. By agreeing to the Federal Government moving to ratify a particular convention, the ACT is agreeing that it complies with the convention and will provide periodic reports on how it is achieving compliance. This action demonstrates that the Follett Labor Government takes seriously its responsibilities towards its work force and its workplaces and that it is an active partner with the Federal Government in complying with its international obligations. This process must be pursued if the ACT is to demonstrate business leadership in the Asia-Pacific region, where opportunities for the ACT and its businesses are emerging. We need to show that we are playing our part as a responsible global citizen.
In addition to its standards setting role, the ILO is also involved in the provision of technical assistance to member countries. Technical assistance programs are generally implemented to support a country in the implementation of standards, and take the form of vocational education and training programs, assistance in the establishment of labour inspection and occupational health and safety arrangements or establishment of employment services. Much of the technical assistance has naturally been directed at the developing nations, many of which are located in the Asia-Pacific region. As a consequence, Australia and the ACT, in particular, are well placed to provide a regional base for technical assistance programs for this Asia-Pacific region. These could take the form of a regional headquarters for the ILO as it expands this aspect of its work or provision of expert services, for example, through ACT WorkCover. The ACT has indicated, through a recent meeting of Commonwealth, State and Territory technical officers, that it will shortly be in a position to comply with a set of occupational health and safety conventions.
Debate interrupted.
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