7060
[ASSEMBLY]
workplaces thereby providing a proper workplace framework for the improvement of safety performance and
resolution of safety and health issues?
(7)
How many safety and health committees have been established in each of the following years (a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)
1987;
1988;
1989;
1990;
1991;
1992;
1993;
1994;
1995;
1996;
1997;
1998; and
1999?
Mrs EDWARDES replied:
(1)
No employees have lodged complaints under Section 36(2)(b) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in
relation to employers denying their request for the establishment of an Occupational Safety and Health Committee.
WorkSafe Western Australia inspectors routinely deal with requests for assistance in the establishment of safety
and health committees.
(2)
In 1990 an employer referred a request to the Commissioner seeking his approval under Section 36(2)(b) to deny
a request from employees to form an Occupational Safety and Health Committee. The Commissioner affirmed the
requirement for a committee to be formed.
(3)
Nil.
(4)
See (2) above.
(5)-(6) There is no evidence that a regulation is needed to require employers to establish Occupational Safety and Health
Committees. The WorkSafe Western Australia Commission has produced Guidance Notes for employers and
employees on the establishment of committees and the resolution of safety and health issues. As mentioned in (1)
above, WorkSafe Western Australia inspectors routinely deal with requests for assistance in the establishment of
safety and health committees.
(7)
The Occupational Safety and Health Act does not require employers to advise WorkSafe Western Australia of the
establishment of Occupational Safety and Health Committees. Therefore there are no records on the numbers
established each year.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS
2166.
Mr KOBELKE to the Minister for Labour Relations:
In the 1997-98 financial year with respect to the Department of Productivity and Labour Relations (a)
how many formal industrial and legislative complaints were lodged;
(b)
how many of these were resolved without resorting to legal proceedings;
(c)
how many investigations were undertaken;
(d)
how many prosecutions were commenced;
(e)
how may prosecutions were concluded;
(f)
what number of the concluded prosecutions were "successful";
(g)
what number of investigations were categorised as "no valid complaint";
(h)
in how many of the cases which were resolved as "no valid complaint" did the complaint relate to an alleged breach
of an award;
(i)
how many investigations were concluded by was of "deeds of settlement"; and
(j)
in how many of the cases which were resolved by "deeds of settlement" was there evidence of a breach of an
award?
[Wednesday, 24 March 1999]
7061
Mrs EDWARDES replied:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)-(j)
837
734
736
2
2
2
148
123
Nil.
LITERACY STANDARDS
2181.
Mr RIPPER to the Minister for Education:
What action does the Education Department take to ensure that individual students do not graduate from Western Australian
Government Primary Schools unable to meet basic standards of literacy?
Mr BARNETT replied:
The Education Department is constantly researching, planning and taking action to ensure students do not graduate from
government primary schools unable to meet basic literacy standards. The following initiatives provide some examples:
(i)
The Students at Educational Risk Strategy - Making the Difference. There is a focus on early identification,
intervention, prevention, and the development of appropriate support programs.
(ii)
The Pre-primary - Year 3 phase of the Literacy Net focuses on the early identification of children who may require
assistance in literacy development. It is a comprehensive screening device to identify students in need of particular
assistance. The literacy checkpoints define year level expectations to assist teachers in making judgements about
appropriate standards. The Year 4 - Year 7 phase of the Literacy Net will be trialed during the first semester of
1999.
(iii)
The Commonwealth Literacy Program provides funds totalling $6 million to be allocated to government schools
to assist with the implementation of programs that specifically target those students most at risk of not achieving
adequate literacy and numeracy skills.
(iv)
Student results of the Western Australian literacy testing carried out in August 1998 will provide valuable
information for teachers and parents about aspects of student achievement in reading, writing and spelling. The
literacy assessment information will assist schools in reviewing their teaching and learning programs to ensure that
the needs of individual students are addressed. Literacy testing of Year 3 and Year 5 students will now be carried
out on an annual basis.
TEACHERS' SALARIES, PEOPLESOFT PAYROLL SYSTEM
2182.
Mr RIPPER to the Minister for Education:
(1)
Has the introduction of the PeopleSoft payroll system resulted in changes to the way in which the salaries of parttime teachers are calculated?
(2)
Have these changes reduced the salary that some part-time teachers receive compared to the salary they would have
received for the same hours worked under the previous payroll system?
(3)
If yes, why?
Mr BARNETT replied:
I am advised:
(1)
Yes. With the introduction of PeopleSoft the calculation of salaries for part-time teachers has changed in two ways:
Part-time teachers under the previous payroll system were paid an average of their part-time fraction for each week
day. For example, if a part-time teacher was employed as 0.5 (half time) then they would have been paid 0.5 of
a day for every day of the week. This would equate to 2.5 days per week.
Under PeopleSoft, all teachers now have a roster and are paid for the actual days they work. Therefore, if a parttime teacher works 0.5 (half time) the employee would still be paid for 2.5 days per week, however, the roster in
PeopleSoft will reflect they worked a full day on both Monday and Tuesday and a half day on Wednesday, or
whatever schedule applies.