House of Assembly Wednesday 30 June 2021
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PARLIAMENT OF TASMANIA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY REPORT OF DEBATES Wednesday 30 June 2021 REVISED EDITION Contents QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 TASTAFE REFORMS ........................................................................................................................................... 1 TASTAFE REFORMS ........................................................................................................................................... 2 VAN DAIRY GROUP - ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS ......................................................................................... 3 CHILD AND YOUTH WELLBEING STRATEGY ....................................................................................................... 4 TASTAFE REFORMS ........................................................................................................................................... 6 PROPOSED GLENORCHY AMBULANCE STATION - PROGRESS .............................................................................. 7 MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT SYSTEMS ................................................................. 8 TASTAFE - ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS ................................................................. 9 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM - PESRAC RECOMMENDATION ...................................................................... 10 VAN DAIRY GROUP - EPA INVESTIGATION INTO EFFLUENT POLLUTION .......................................................... 11 SECURING TASMANIA'S FUTURE - EDUCATION ................................................................................................. 13 CHILD SAFETY OFFICERS.................................................................................................................................. 15 CHILD SAFETY OFFICERS - CASE WORKERS ..................................................................................................... 16 SECURING TASSMANIA'S FUTURE - INVESTMENT IN NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES ................................... 17 VAN DAIRY GROUP - POLITICAL DONATION .................................................................................................... 19 RESIDENTIAL TENANCY (RENTAL MARKET REFORM) AMENDMENT BILL 2021 (NO. 30)...... 20 FIRST READING ................................................................................................................................................ 20 MOTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 20 ORDER OF BUSINESS ......................................................................................................................................... 20 SITTING TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 21 MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE ......................................................................................................... 21 TASTAFE ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 JUSTICE MISCELLANEOUS (INCREASING JUDICIAL RETIREMENT AGE) BILL 2021 (NO. 15) .............................................................................................................................................................................. 31 SECOND READING ............................................................................................................................................ 31 MOTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 35 TASMANIAN ECONOMY .................................................................................................................................... 35 ADDRESS-IN-REPLY ....................................................................................................................................... 51 MOTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 68 UNDERSTAFFING IN PUBLIC SERVICES - MOTION NEGATIVED .......................................................................... 68 INTEGRITY COMMISSION (MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT) BILL 2021 (NO. 21) .............................. 91 SECOND READING ............................................................................................................................................ 91 ADJOURNMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 108 TASMANIAN HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION AWARDS ........................................................................................ 108 GROWAVERLEY ............................................................................................................................................. 108 LOAVES AND FISHES WINTER SOLSTICE SPLASH ............................................................................................ 108 ANIMAL WELFARE ......................................................................................................................................... 110 QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS ....................................................................................................................... 112 ROSEBERY MINE - TAILINGS DAM .................................................................................................................. 112 BOAT HARBOUR SLSC - POLAR BEAR SWIM ................................................................................................. 114 Wednesday 30 June 2021 The Speaker, Mr Shelton, took the Chair at 10 a.m., acknowledged the Traditional People, and read Prayers. QUESTIONS TasTAFE Reforms Mr O'BYRNE question to MINISTER for SKILLS, TRAINING and WORKFORCE GROWTH, Ms COURTNEY [10.02 a.m.] In South Australia, where TAFE is a government business, courses are being slashed. Last year there were cuts to 20 courses in areas of high need and skills shortages such as child care, aged care and disability. This year there are further cuts proposed for retail, dental, performing arts, photography, rural operations, counselling and work, health and safety. Will you guarantee your TAFE reforms will not lead to course cuts? ANSWER Mr Speaker, I thank the member for the question. I remind him that we are actually in Tasmania, not South Australia. I know he wishes he was somewhere else after his party's terrible election result and the fact that he has a divided party behind him. Here in Tasmania at the election, people voted for a government that has committed to a secure future for TasTAFE. While Mr O'Byrne would rather be anywhere else but here at the moment, in Tasmania businesses can be confident, staff can be confident and, importantly, students can be confident that this side of the House is going to deliver further support to TasTAFE so it can deliver what it needs to support a growing economy. TasTAFE will remain in public ownership as a not-for-profit, delivering better choice for learners, better pay for teachers and flexible hours aligned to business and industry. We are committed to providing $98.5 million fully costed, unlike that side, to upgrade facilities and equipment, increase access for students in regional and rural areas and employ an additional 100 teachers. We are committed to a TasTAFE that will never be privatised under this Government. We will ensure that teachers will not be worse off and we want to have better pay for our skilled teachers. We will guarantee that 80 per cent of all skill funding continues to be invested in the new TasTAFE model. The reason we have done this is because we listened to the people of Tasmania during the election, unlike the other side that was so divided and were so much of a rabble during the election. Ms O'Byrne - The question was about forced cuts. Will you rule it out? Mr SPEAKER - Order, members on the left. 1 Wednesday 30 June 2021 Ms COURTNEY - They were too busy fighting each other to listen to what business wanted and to listen to the needs of students, and that is why I am getting on with the job of delivering this. TasTAFE Reforms Mr O'BYRNE question to MINISTER for SKILLS, TRAINING and WORKFORCE GROWTH, Ms COURTNEY [10.05 a.m.] Will you guarantee your TAFE reforms will not lead to campus closures, job cuts, a loss of employment conditions for staff, or higher fees for students? ANSWER Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether the Leader of the Opposition was listening to my last answer. We are delivering more money for campuses, more teachers, better pay for those teachers and more choice for our students to be able to have flexible learning around the state, including the virtual campus that I announced progress of in recent weeks, so clearly the other side, with TasTAFE, as with all other areas of government, just try to create fear. What we have is a clear plan and we know - if those on the other side were listening during PESRAC and during the election campaign - what we are doing is supported. Graeme Elphinstone said: Moving TasTAFE to a new model where they pay a fairer salary for skilled teachers and have a stronger industry