Questions Day 3 - Thursday 19 June 2003
Parliamentary Record 13
Question for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Questions for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005
2003-06-19
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Questions
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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QUESTIONS - Thursday 19 June 2003 role of training in it. Following those assessments, meetings have been held with the registered training organisations across the Top End to ascertain their capacity to deliver the right mix of just-in-time training for people to be able to participate in these projects. In accordance with the needs of Bechtel, the training will have a particular focus on steel fixing, crane operation, welders, concrete finishers, forklift operators, electrical trades assistants, mechanical trades assistants - those types of job opportunities. The training will focus on a range of possible options to meet the demand, including pre-vocational apprenticeships and that just-in-time training, as I mentioned. It is a good example of how collaborative employment opportunities might be worked on by government and industry into the future. Another example is a pilot training project which aims to have 30 local indigenous people trained to take up jobs on major projects such as Wickham Point. I was pleased to sign a memorandum of agreement for this the other week with the Northern Land Council, the Territory Construction Association and Larrakia Nation. The government is providing around $200 000 towards this collaborative project as a first step in the development of a skilled, local, indigenous work force that will be able to take up jobs on construction projects as they arise. Wickham Point is the largest private investment project the Territory has seen, and government will continue to work to ensure as many Territorians as possible are able to take advantage of that development. There are two areas I would like to focus on in relation to training currently underway to meet the immediate and medium term demand for welders. As I speak, existing welders have been given just-in-time training to an international oil and gas industry standard for pressure equipment, welding and braising. The program has been funded by the government and run in conjunction with the Welding Technology Institute of Australia, the Northern Territory University, and with representation from the Manufacturers Council. Seventeen local welders are undergoing a two week course which started on Monday. Six of those have been released by local employers to enable them to take advantage of that training. Nine participants are self-employed, and two are currently between jobs. That course will ensure that those 17 people will have the skills to go along to the hiring hall and apply for work at Wickham Point. In the medium term, DEET will work with industry, the relevant training advisory council and the Welding Institute of Australia, to plan and design appropriate welding training for work on major projects over the next two to three years. I do not have to point out that there will be an enormous need for welders when that big pipeline has to come all the way across the Territory from Blacktip, past Wadeye through to Nhulunbuy and Alcan. We need, and will have, as this training unrolls, people skilled up and ready to take advantage of that project as well. Madam Speaker, it is further proof that the Martin Labor government is about the future, unlike those opposite who seem to be misty eyed and dwelling on the past. Gove District Hospital - Safety of Staff Ms CARTER to MINISTER for HEALTH and COMMUNITY SERVICES Your much heralded aggression policy, introduced in February 2002, was meant to reduce harm to staff. Staff training was to be a key aspect of the program. Has any of the training been provided to nurses at Gove Hospital on this matter? ANSWER Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. Is it not fascinating that the member for Port Darwin has such an interest in the seat of Nhulunbuy? I do not think the member for Nhulunbuy ever saw any interest in his electorate - for how long have you been a member? Mr Stirling: Thirteen years. Mrs AAGAARD: In 13 years. I would be very surprised if there were too many dorothies on the Gove District Hospital, but I digress. Violence against staff anywhere in my department is completely unacceptable, as it is in the general community. We have put in place significant policies in the past year or two to address this whole issue of aggression. In relation to specific training at the Gove District Hospital, I am afraid I am unable to answer that question. I will attempt to get that information back to the House by the end of Question Time. There has been a lot of work throughout the department. The Category 1 clinics have duress alarms. We are now funding for duress alarms in Category 2 clinics in communities. All of the hospitals have duress alarms and people to respond to duress calls. In relation to specific training, I know there has been training in several o f the hospitals, and whether that has happened at the Gove District Hospital, I will be happy to advise the House later. 664