Page 156 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 December 2016
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Torres Strait Islander leadership in our country. I encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans to apply for these grants programs and to participate in activities like that that are going to strengthen their leadership skills and their capacity to stand up for their community into the future.
I look forward to announcing the details of the successful grant applications next year, and I encourage all members in this place to speak with their local communities about what they may be able to apply for and achieve under this program.
Trade unions—workplace health and safety funding
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations. Minister, has the government implemented the recommendations of the 2014 review into the WHS liaison officer funding allocated to Unions ACT?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Thank you very much, Mr Hanson, for your question. I am going to have to take that question on notice. I can tell you that we have looked into that but I have not got the information with me at this time.
MR HANSON: Thanks, minister. Given that one of the recommendations of the 2014 review was that a further review be undertaken in three years time, could you advise the schedule for that next review and when it will occur.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Thank you again for the supplementary question. I have now found some more information. An annual grant is provided to support UnionACT’s work health and safety awareness activities, as you are aware. Specifically, the grant enables UnionsACT to engage one or more persons to assist in raising and increasing awareness of work health and safety issues and resources in territory workplaces, facilitating access to work health and safety training for employers and employees, providing other work health and safety services advice and support to employers and employees, and undertaking research into work health safety and related matters. The agreement has been the subject of two independent reviews, as you noted. Both reviews supported the effectiveness and continuation of the grant.
MR COE: Minister, when will the next review take place; what value for money is being received for the $371,000 budgeted for the next three years; and has any of the research which has been undertaken by UnionsACT actually been published?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the supplementary question. I will have to take the last part of the question on notice, in regard to whether the research has been published. I can advise the Assembly that in July 2016 the funding mechanism was converted to a deed of grant for a period of three years, from 1 July to 30 June 2019. This change was responsive to a recommendation in the previous independent review. Going to the first question I was asked, the total funding amount over this grant period is $371,394.
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