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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 04 Hansard (Thursday, 1 April 2004) . . Page.. 1629 ..

(5) Are the current Equal Employment Opportunities strategies working as effectively as they can; if so, what evidence is there to support this?

Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) I am not aware of any particular difficulties experienced by people from culturally diverse backgrounds in attaining managerial or policy positions within the ACT Public Service.

(2) Disclosure of personal information about cultural background and ethnicity is optional. Therefore, the available information reflects details of those people who chose to disclose this information. Current figures show that 10.95% of people in managerial positions within the ACT Public Service identify as being of a culturally diverse background. As disclosure is optional the actual percentage is likely to be higher. [Managerial positions are classified as those at a Senior Officer Grade C level (or equivalent) and above.]

(3) I am not aware of any problems within the ACT Public Service in relation to racial or group discrimination. The 2002-03 Annual Report of the Discrimination Commissioner reported that 26 complaints of related to ACT Government agencies. The nature of these complaints was not specified, and it is not known whether any of the complainants were ACT Government employees. 35% of complaints received by the ACT Human Rights Office during 2002-03 were in the area of employment but the report did not identify how many of these related ACT Government agencies.

(4) I am not aware of any inequities within our public service system that would cause people from culturally diverse backgrounds undue distress in relation to possible job promotion. My department supports a Multicultural Staff Network for ACT Public Service employees from different cultural backgrounds to discuss and consider these issues. I am not aware of any specific issues identified by the network.

(5) My department, through its central agency role, supports a service wide Equity and Diversity Network. Agencies are also required to develop their own agency-specific Equity and Diversity Plans which are supported by the ACT service wide Equity and Diversity Framework. Agencies report on outcomes of their Equity and Diversity Plans as part of annual reporting requirements. The service wide Equity and Diversity Framework has recently been reviewed by a cross-agency working party to improve effectiveness as part of the ACT Public Service commitment to continuous improvement.

Business grants
(Question No 1314)

Mr Smyth asked the Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, upon notice, on 3 March 2004:

(1) To date this financial year, (a) what business grants have been awarded and (b) which organisations have received business grants;

(2) How much funding was each group allocated and for what purpose.

Mr Quinlan: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

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