Page 2710 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
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are also trending downwards. In 2016-17 the number of work injuries was 13 per cent lower than in 2014-15.
To build on these promising trends, we will invest $1.4 million over the next four years in enhancements to return to work and retraining services for our public sector workers. The design of the funded initiatives is being informed by detailed consultation with public sector unions and experts in the field of injury management, which was conducted throughout 2016.
That budget commitment follows on from 2016-17 changes to the private sector workers compensation scheme, mandating the appointment of trained return-to-work coordinators in our biggest and riskiest businesses. Insurers have advised that this initiative has been well received by businesses, who acknowledge the social and economic benefits of getting injured workers back to work as soon as it is safe to do so.
As I mentioned, after much consideration and consultation, the government recently announced that it will not be seeking to exit the Comcare workers compensation scheme. Rather than make changes to the types of compensation services that an injured worker may receive, we will focus on improving public sector injury prevention and management practices. The government is therefore now investigating whether it should become a self-insurer within the Comcare scheme, which would allow us to take more responsibility for the care and rehabilitation of injured public sector workers and to develop a best practice injury management model.
The government recognises that the ACT public service is integral to delivering on the government’s progressive vision for the city and providing high quality public services to the community. We are absolutely committed to negotiating, through current enterprise bargaining agreements, in good faith to reach agreements that are fair and reasonable for our employees.
It is clear that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable workers, particularly young people and migrant workers. We take very seriously the findings of UnionsACT’s survey of young workers, which has indicated that bullying, harassment and unsafe work practices are too common in our workplaces. WorkSafe ACT in the last year has been undertaking proactive efforts across workplaces such as retail and hospitality that employ young workers to ensure that young workers are aware of their rights and that employers, particularly, are aware of their responsibilities in relation to worker safety and are held to account for this.
We also look forward to the outcomes of the education, employment and youth affairs committee’s inquiry into the extent and impact of insecure work and to considering what steps the government can take in relation to this matter.
Mr Wall mentioned procurement, and I wish to touch on this briefly. The government makes no apologies for believing that governments can and should be model purchasers and should use their purchasing power to encourage best practice in industrial relations, upholding workers’ rights and protecting workers’ safety. The secure local jobs package that the Chief Minister recently recommitted to will make
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