Page 2558 - Week 07 - Thursday, 18 June 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
territory. We all have an interest in making sure that this work is safe, appropriate in relation to young people’s age and abilities and, of course, that work must be in the best interests of the child.
Young people tell me that transitions from school to work and on to study are one of their key priorities. That is why we will be replacing the school leaving age with a compulsory school participation age of 17. This means that young people will be earning or learning between the ages of 15 and 17. We will endeavour to have 95 per cent of our young people participating in training, education or employment. Through the youth compact, every young person from 15 to 24 years will be able to access an education or training place. We must ensure that this employment is safe, appropriate and in the best interests of the young person. Our legislation and our regulatory framework for the employment of children and young people will reflect young people’s experiences. It will be practical and it will be realistic. It will be based on evidence and broad consultation.
Today’s amendment is a practical reform. This chapter of the act regulates situations where businesses and individuals employ a child or young person. This reform broadens the definition of employment for children and young people. The current definition defines employment as performance of work under a contract for services, an apprenticeship, a traineeship, other work-related training for a trade, or work experience.
Legally, the definition of a contract for services means that employment is restricted to those circumstances where there is a contract between two principals. This does not include an employer-employee relationship or circumstances where an independent contractor is providing services. This amendment will add the phrase “a contract of service” to the current definition. This change will reflect the practical realities of young people’s work experiences. It will enable employers to employ children and young people under school leaving age to perform work considered suitable as light work. It will allow families to employ their children in family businesses and will make sure that young people delivering newspapers in their local neighbourhoods, and babysitters, are covered by the law.
The government has been busy in this area, but of course there is more to do. Implementation of chapter 21 of the 2008 Children and Young People Act will require the development of subordinate legislation in relation to the employment of children and young people. As Ms Hunter indicated, I released a discussion paper in March this year. The feedback from this discussion paper will inform a range of regulatory issues, such as what role parents should play in providing consent.
Parents play an invaluable role in teaching, guiding and enabling children and young people to make independent decisions. They also play an important role in protecting children. We are considering the community’s views on whether parental consent should be obtained. We are considering at what age this consent may be most appropriate. We are considering in what form this consent should be provided. The government is also considering how to ensure that obligations on employers and small business owners are not onerous. But I want to make sure that the rules allow parents to access information regarding their kids’ conditions and duties of employment. I
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .