Page 5713 - Week 15 - Thursday, 10 December 2009
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At this point, it is very pleasing, as Minister for Health, with my other portfolio responsibilities, to congratulate ACT Health on winning the 2009 award for best workplace health and safety management system in the public sector. I think ACT Health has been leading the way across the ACT government for a number of years now.
In many respects—and I will go to Ms Bresnan’s point on WorkCover—having the most modern occupational health and safety laws is only measured by the effectiveness of the enforcement of those laws. And there has been some recent criticism of WorkCover in the Assembly, particularly in regard to their ability to respond to health and safety complaints. I have some data from WorkCover. WorkCover has undertaken more than 550 worksite visits, has issued more than 50 improvement notices and has issued 40 prohibition notices in the last three months. So I think WorkCover would believe that the criticism of their effectiveness and enforcement of those laws has been a little unfair.
A major focus for WorkCover has also involved a lot of attention on the asbestos issue, including the major investigation and monitoring of the Pickles incident, the illegal dumping of asbestos and the clean-up and, of course, the recent residential asbestos issues.
Recent comments have been made in the Assembly and in the media concerning the Mitchell Resource Centre and the Gungahlin Drive extension. WorkCover have taken action on both of these matters. WorkCover inspectors visited the Mitchell Resource Centre on a number of occasions and are working with Thiess and ACT NoWaste in relation to the handling of hazardous substances and general workplace safety issues. WorkCover has also conducted a review of the procedures in place at Mitchell for safe work systems. Inspectors have visited the GDE site twice, and ongoing monitoring continues. The key issues that were identified were in relation to plant and working in extreme temperatures, issues that have been addressed at other civil work sites in the last few months.
Notwithstanding all of that, members will be aware that the Attorney-General has commissioned a review of WorkCover which is presently underway. The terms of reference of this review have been tabled in the Assembly and members will be advised of the government’s decision when it has had the opportunity to consider the recommendations of the review.
I would like to reconfirm the government’s commitment to OH&S and thank Ms Bresnan for bringing this matter to the Assembly today. I look forward to the debate continuing for some time yet.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (3.39): As members have said, health and safety are matters of paramount importance to people in the ACT because, as Ms Bresnan has said, so many people spend so much of their time at work so that the status of their work environment, especially in relation to their safety, is extremely important. The importance of health and safety in the workplace cannot be understated.
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