❓ Question regarding paid leave arrangements for emergency service volunteers in the WA public sector. The Minister responds that such entitlements already exist under industrial agreements and a government circular, criticising the opposition's lack of understanding.
AnsweredQoN 688Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FIRE AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES — VOLUNTEERS — PAID LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS
688. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Public Sector Management:
I refer to a letter I wrote to the
minister's office on 8 June 2022, which has not yet been replied to,
seeking to establish dedicated leave arrangements for recognised emergency
service volunteers in Western Australia.
(1) Will the
state government bring WA public sector employees in line with the commonwealth
public sector by introducing paid leave arrangements for emergency services
volunteers?
(2) If no to (1),
why not?
(3) What specific
measures does the state government provide to support public sector workers who
are also emergency service volunteers to attend emergencies or training?
SERVICES — VOLUNTEERS — PAID LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS
688. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Public Sector Management:
I refer to a letter I wrote to the
minister's office on 8 June 2022, which has not yet been replied to,
seeking to establish dedicated leave arrangements for recognised emergency
service volunteers in Western Australia.
(1) Will the
state government bring WA public sector employees in line with the commonwealth
public sector by introducing paid leave arrangements for emergency services
volunteers?
(2) If no to (1),
why not?
(3) What specific
measures does the state government provide to support public sector workers who
are also emergency service volunteers to attend emergencies or training?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Leader of the House,
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following
answer has been provided by the Minister for Public Sector Management.
(1)–(3) Emergency
service volunteers do an incredible job on behalf of all Western Australians,
and as part of their industrial agreements they are already entitled to paid
leave to respond to emergencies.
This is another example of the
Liberal and National Parties' lack of basic comprehension, failing to
understand that entitlements are already available to volunteers under the
industrial agreements that cover their employment or the relevant
whole-of-government circular.
Many public sector industrial
instruments provide paid and uncapped emergency service leave for public sector employees who attend an emergency as a volunteer
for listed organisations. Circular to Departments and Authorities No. 2
of 2001—Paid Leave for Emergency Service Volunteers—provides
paid ESL for those employees without an
industrial entitlement, which, for the member's convenience, I now
table a copy of. Part 9 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 also
provides protection and allowances for employees who are also members of an
emergency management agency.
[See paper 1497 .]
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following
answer has been provided by the Minister for Public Sector Management.
(1)–(3) Emergency
service volunteers do an incredible job on behalf of all Western Australians,
and as part of their industrial agreements they are already entitled to paid
leave to respond to emergencies.
This is another example of the
Liberal and National Parties' lack of basic comprehension, failing to
understand that entitlements are already available to volunteers under the
industrial agreements that cover their employment or the relevant
whole-of-government circular.
Many public sector industrial
instruments provide paid and uncapped emergency service leave for public sector employees who attend an emergency as a volunteer
for listed organisations. Circular to Departments and Authorities No. 2
of 2001—Paid Leave for Emergency Service Volunteers—provides
paid ESL for those employees without an
industrial entitlement, which, for the member's convenience, I now
table a copy of. Part 9 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 also
provides protection and allowances for employees who are also members of an
emergency management agency.
[See paper 1497 .]
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