FIRE AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES — VOLUNTEERS — PAID LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS
715. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Industrial Relations:
My question without notice of which
some notice has been given is to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Public Sector Management, which I understand has been redirected
to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Industrial
Relations.
I refer to Legislative Council
question without notice 688 from 17 August 2022 in relation to public sector
leave for emergency service volunteers.
(1) Noting that
the circular dated 2001 in response to the above-mentioned question does not
identify members of volunteer fire and emergency service units as being
eligible, when will the government revise and reissue this more than
20-year-old directive?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that all industrial agreements applicable to public sector
employees contain express provisions for emergency service leave?
(3) How has this
more than 20-year-old directive been communicated to public sector employees
who are also emergency service volunteers?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following information has been provided to me by the
Minister for Industrial Relations.
(1) The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and
Safety's government sector labour relations is currently
reviewing all existing industrial relations circulars. It is intended that an
updated circular will be reissued before the end of 2022.
(2) Many
industrial agreements and/or awards contain provisions relating to emergency
service leave. The circular covers all public sector employees without an
industrial entitlement.
(3) The circular
is published on the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
website. It is the responsibility of public sector employers to advise their
employees of their employment entitlements.