Page 1040 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 24 March 2015
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MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Fitzharris for her supplementary. I have already briefly mentioned the synergies between UCPH and the training of nursing and allied health professionals at the University of Canberra. But perhaps it is best to emphasise the importance of this to the university by quoting the vice-chancellor, Professor Parker. He said earlier this month, at the opening:
Having this innovative hospital on campus will provide unique teaching, research and practice opportunities for our staff and students, contributing to the improvement of patient care …
That is a great endorsement from the vice-chancellor of this investment on his university’s campus. He sees the potential for collaboration and leveraging the opportunities for investment that the government will make on the University of Canberra campus. And it will add to the other training facilities and opportunities that the university itself has invested in, such as the UC health club, the new GP super clinic which is now being run on the University of Canberra campus, and, of course, their mainstream training and education for nursing and allied health professionals.
It is very much a forward-thinking project for the city and for our community. It is important that we make these investments, not just in terms of better health care but also in terms of the opportunities for growth, development and strengthening of the University of Canberra as a tertiary education institution, one that can add so much more to our community and to our economy.
ACTION bus service—schools
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, Monday, 27 April is an ACT public service holiday. As a result of this decision, ACT public schools will not operate on Monday, 27 April. However, some non-government schools will operate as normal on this day. Recently, ACTION buses decided not to run school services on 27 April. Minister, why was the decision taken to cancel all school services on Monday, 27 April?
MR RATTENBURY: ACTION has taken the decision, and I have discussed this with a range of my colleagues, to run a Saturday timetable on Monday, 27 April. As members may be aware, under the ACT government’s enterprise agreements, that day falls as an ACT government holiday, but it is not a public holiday for the whole of the ACT. It is a somewhat awkward situation but it is the one we find ourselves in.
The consequence of this is that ACT government public servants are entitled to the day off and ACT public schools will be closed. However, federal public servants will be working, much of the private sector presumably will be working and non-government schools in the ACT will also be operating. That is the situation that is taking place in the community.
Under the ACTION enterprise agreement, ACTION drivers are not required to work that day. It is a voluntary day, as are weekends. So ACTION cannot direct drivers to
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