Page 1045 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 6 May 2014
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During the course of the inquiry, some of the directorates added amounts for appropriations on the argument of consistency. “Everybody was getting it, so we should get our share, too.” For instance, education asked for a supplementary appropriation of $14,000 for wages. If education, in its half-billion-dollar budget, cannot find $14,000 for wages, there is something seriously wrong about the way we are going about these appropriations. In that case I do not think consistency is an argument.
The committee has suggested, for instance, that for one of the very small agencies, $14,000 could be a great deal of funding. The committee has suggested that there be an inclusion threshold whereby, if it is under a certain amount, the departments should find that within their current appropriation.
There are two recommendations—recommendations 3 and 4—about the very serious issue of bullying. Members might not be aware, but during the lead-up to the hearings WorkSafe ACT issued an improvement notice on the JACS directorate, particularly ESA, about their not handling a complaint about bullying. The minister’s excuse was, “Well, it wasn’t in writing.” WorkSafe is not convinced by that, so recommendation 3 says:
The committee recommends that ACT Government directorates and agencies should ensure the investigation of bullying complaints, whatever the method of notification, in a timely manner.
That was agreed unanimously by the committee. Recommendation 4 says:
The committee recommends that the ACT Government ensure, until such time as the conflict that exists between the obligations in relation to addressing bullying complaints contained within the two regulatory instruments currently in force is addressed, that the minimum standard for notification of bullying complaints should apply.
That is so that the government cannot weasel out of it by saying, “We didn’t investigate it because it wasn’t in writing,” whereas WorkSafe says if the complaint is made, the complaint is made. Bullying is serious. It should be taken seriously. No-one should say, “Well, you haven’t put it in writing.” We do not know the personal circumstances of the people making the complaint. Even writing it down might be beyond them sometimes as they are so upset by the bullying that has gone on. Once the complaint is made, the wheels should click into action and they should grind very quickly to ensure that we get a good outcome for those that are being bullied.
Recommendations 5, 6 and, in fact, right through to about 13 or 14, all look at the way we deliver capital works. The government is setting up an infrastructure finance and advisory unit. The committee has suggested in recommendation 5 that the government give consideration to whether or not that is the appropriate location for it. So you are going to have a unit in the Treasury. You have got procurement ACT; you have got work being done in the individual departments. The risk of duplication therefore increases. It is worth considering how we make procurement in the ACT work better,
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