Page 4177 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 29 November 1994
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We believe that, by doing that, we will enhance the competition for the three available sites. Advertisements outlining that have been running in the newspapers. We intend to announce the successful bidders in early January. I believe that we have maintained the necessary absolute adherence to the requirements around the tendering process.
Women's Consultative Council
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, through you, I ask a question of the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, there has been in existence since 1990 a Women's Consultative Council, which exists to advise the Chief Minister on issues concerning the status of women in the ACT. The term of the second Women's Consultative Council expired in June of this year - nearly six months ago. I ask: Why have you failed to renew or extend the term of the council and its 12 members, and does this inaction indicate the value that you place on the council's advice to you on matters concerning the status of women?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Kaine for the question, Madam Speaker. It gives me an opportunity to state yet again that I regard the work of the Women's Consultative Council as very valuable indeed. In fact, when I first appointed the Women's Consultative Council, back in 1989, I did so in order to provide a forum where women in our community could bring their issues forward and could readily get them to the attention of Government. I have continued with the Women's Consultative Council throughout our period in government, as indeed did Mr Kaine when he was in government. So, it is clearly an important body. The work that they have done - including, for instance, the advice that they have given at budget time year by year and the work that they have done on women's employment, on women and poverty and on a range of other issues - has been very valuable to the Government.
Nevertheless, as Mr Kaine has mentioned, the term of office of the second Women's Consultative Council expired a couple of months ago. Madam Speaker, it is certainly my intention to reappoint a Women's Consultative Council. I am giving consideration to how we might form the third Women's Consultative Council. I again look forward to receiving its considered advice and also to having the members of that council out in the Canberra community, actively consulting with Canberra women on all of the issues that concern them.
MR KAINE: I would like to ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. It is clear that this body has not existed since June, and that does answer my question; but I have a supplementary question. Chief Minister, one of the terms of reference of the Women's Consultative Council was - I repeat, was - to prepare a yearly work program for the approval of the Chief Minister and to report on the implementation of that program by July of each year. Chief Minister, do you have a report for that work program as of July of this year? What is your plan in connection with affairs concerning the status of women for the year 1994-95?
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