Page 4273 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 27 November 2013
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the status of cardiac monitor and defibrillator problems; disciplinary processes; the complaint to the Fair Work Ombudsman, which we will get to in more detail shortly; and complaints before ACAT.
Of course for the ACT Emergency Services there is the replacement of the deputy officer as per section 58, and it is still very unclear whether these officers have been replaced and whether they are to actually be replaced or whether the money is to be taken as savings or used for other purposes; the issue of having to get truck licences for all the SES members because they purchased vehicles that are not standard vehicles with the requirement only for a standard drivers licence attached.
In the Rural Fire Service we have: the replacement of deputy officer as per section 53 of the Emergencies Act 2004, which might happen in February, apparently, after the bulk of the fire season has passed; payment of the close-call, on-call allowances; the availability of trained IMT officers; funds for training; the acquisition of a second bulk water carrier; and the movement of fire tankers.
Mr Corbell treated that debate flippantly and Mr Rattenbury said, “Well, you can get your answers in estimates.” But, as we know, there was only about 40 minutes, 45 minutes in estimates, so instead of getting documentation on these issues, the government has been able to gloss over it. But since that debate we now know there has been a report to WorkSafe ACT and it concerns bullying in the service. And this is the point: the minister was aware of the culture inside the Ambulance Service November last year—12 months ago. And what has he done? He has announced a review. Has that review commenced? No, it has not. Have the terms of reference been made public? No, they have not. Do we know who is to conduct the review? No, we do not. That is because this minister does not manage his portfolios, and Chief Minister, you need to do something about it.
We need a new minister, but we also need an independent statutory agency to enable it to work better. Just yesterday in the paper concerns were raised by fire brigade officers about the control room and the working conditions there. And then it was revealed, much to the amazement of the United Firefighters Union, that the control room, which is under review—I think people knew that—may lead to the loss of jobs there for the UFU. I do not think people were aware of that, and I do not think the minister has talked about that publicly. So, again, we have a minister who is not in control of his portfolio and we have a portfolio that should not be an agency inside a much larger agency. It should be an independent statutory authority. This litany of errors just in the last 12 months—these mistakes and these faults—show that something has to change.
This morning the report of the Fair Work Ombudsman was released, and the ABC described it as a scathing report on the performance of the ACT Ambulance Service under this minister. It is well and good to say the Labor Party is the party of the worker, but the workers had to take their complaints to the Fair Work Ombudsman because the minister would not act. The questions for you, minister, are: when did you find out, who spoke to you about these problems concerning the leave balances, and what did you do? Clearly, you did not do anything to fix it such that the union representing paramedics in the ACT Ambulance Service had to take it to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
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