Page 263 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 2018

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Further stakeholder consultation has now been undertaken on the uncommenced sections of the amendment act. In addition to UnionsACT, which raised the concerns initially, officials have consulted the tripartite ACT Work Safety Council, ACT Insurance Authority, ACT Bar Association and ACT Law Society. All of these parties raised issues with the application and scope of the provisions as currently drafted. Concerns raised included that the provisions had wider scope than was sought and that they posed a risk to vulnerable workers who could be particularly susceptible to coercion or abuse by employers utilising information obtained by covert surveillance outside the workplace.

Following this consultation the government has determined that these provisions should not commence in their current form. The government is committed to improving workplace legislation in the territory and ensuring that all rights are considered in any policy developments.

I commend the bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Wall) adjourned to the next sitting.

Estimates 2018-2019—Select Committee

Establishment

MR WALL (Brindabella) (12.05): I move:

That:

(1) a Select Committee on Estimates 2018-2019 be appointed to examine the expenditure proposals contained in the Appropriation Bill 2018-2019, the Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2018-2019 and any revenue estimates proposed by the Government in the 2018-2019 Budget and prepare a report to the Assembly;

(2) the Committee be composed of:

(a) two Members to be nominated by the Government;

(b) two Members to be nominated by the Opposition; and

to be notified in writing to the Speaker by 12.15 pm today;

(3) an Opposition Member shall be elected chair of the Committee by the Committee;

(4) funds be provided by the Assembly to permit the engagement of external expertise to work with the Committee to facilitate the analysis of the Budget and the preparation of the report of the Committee;

(5) the Committee is to report by Tuesday, 31 July 2018;

(6) if the Assembly is not sitting when the Committee has completed its inquiry, the Committee may send its report to the Speaker or, in the absence of the Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker, who is authorised to give directions for its printing, publishing and circulation; and

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