Page 4298 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2005
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Harrison, Kenny and the Molonglo Valley. It could be that Throsby will be another story altogether. The Greens will be recommending that the government have a good, hard look at alternative options for future suburbs, as cat containment measures are a good compromise management technique but some areas are really far too sensitive even for that.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.28 to 2.30 pm.
Ministerial arrangements
MR QUINLAN: I wish to advise the Assembly that the Chief Minister cannot be here this afternoon. It seems that the Senate committee prefers to hold its hearings in Sydney rather than in the national capital. I will take his questions, probably on notice.
Questions without notice
Public service—redundancies
MR SMYTH: My question is now to the Treasurer. Is it correct that ACT government departments and agencies have been required to prepare an excess officer monthly report since August 2005? What has been the outcome of these reports in identifying potential and actual excess officers and in identifying officers who have been redeployed or who have taken voluntary redundancy?
MR QUINLAN: I think so. I cannot give you specific numbers off the top of my head in relation to that, but I can say that, so far, we are reasonably satisfied with meeting our targets. It is hard work. We have to differentiate clearly between necessary replacement staff and positions that arise because we are rationalising some things like IT procurement. There was, theoretically, a figure of 260 places over two years. As far as I know, progress is reasonable. I can assure you that we will still be monitoring it.
MR SMYTH: I have a supplementary question. Treasurer, how many officers have you shed since August this year? How many officers are you still looking to shed? Will you table the excess officer reports for August, September and October by close of business today?
MR QUINLAN: I will take the first two parts of the question on notice. No, I won’t be tabling the documents immediately. I will take that under advisement.
Policing—forensics
MR PRATT: My question is directed to the minister for police. Under the current system, ACT police are required to have forensics analysed at AFP facilities, where precedence is given to national policing demands such as counter-terrorism investigations. It has been stated that ACT courts are delayed in the timely and efficient hearing of criminal cases due to ACT police being sidelined because of AFP national requirements and priorities.
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