Mr CONLAN - 2015-03-24
Government has met with firefighters and United Voice to discuss the proposed presumptive firefighters’ legislation. Can you please tell the House what the outcome of these meetings were?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. The short answer is yes; this is a good legislation for our career firefighters.
On 26 February the government introduced the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 to amend the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. As part of those amendments, presumptive legislation was proposed for NT firefighters. Government has met twice with United Voice to discuss the proposed presumptive firefighters’ legislation. I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago with some firies in Berrimah, where we had an open conversation on some of the issues facing firefighters in a modern world, especially in a city like Darwin. United Voice raised the issue that backdating the presumptive legislation to when the Country Liberals government formed government in 2012 excludes a number of firefighters who want to apply. We have listened to the concerns raised and Cabinet has acted in response to those concerns ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CHANDLER: Listen to them. They had 12 years in government and they did not do anything.
As a result of the discussions, Cabinet has now agreed to further backdate the introduction of presumptive firefighters’ legislation beyond when it formed government in 2012. The first presumptive legislation in Australia was enacted by the former federal Labor government on 4 July 2011. The Northern Territory government now plans to backdate its presumptive legislation to that date to be nationally consistent. Further, we are proposing a three-month …
Ms Fyles: It is shameful that it took this long while those people were so sick.
Mr CHANDLER: If you want to listen, there is better news here as well.
This three-month sunset period will give living career firefighters a window in which to make a claim under the presumptive legislation, as if the presumptive legislation had an open commencement date. When we asked for patience and understanding while the review of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act took place, we promised we would listen to the recommendations. Our word is good; we have listened and this is good legislation. In two years we have achieved what the previous Labor government failed to do in 12 years.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. The short answer is yes; this is a good legislation for our career firefighters.
On 26 February the government introduced the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 to amend the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. As part of those amendments, presumptive legislation was proposed for NT firefighters. Government has met twice with United Voice to discuss the proposed presumptive firefighters’ legislation. I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago with some firies in Berrimah, where we had an open conversation on some of the issues facing firefighters in a modern world, especially in a city like Darwin. United Voice raised the issue that backdating the presumptive legislation to when the Country Liberals government formed government in 2012 excludes a number of firefighters who want to apply. We have listened to the concerns raised and Cabinet has acted in response to those concerns ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr CHANDLER: Listen to them. They had 12 years in government and they did not do anything.
As a result of the discussions, Cabinet has now agreed to further backdate the introduction of presumptive firefighters’ legislation beyond when it formed government in 2012. The first presumptive legislation in Australia was enacted by the former federal Labor government on 4 July 2011. The Northern Territory government now plans to backdate its presumptive legislation to that date to be nationally consistent. Further, we are proposing a three-month …
Ms Fyles: It is shameful that it took this long while those people were so sick.
Mr CHANDLER: If you want to listen, there is better news here as well.
This three-month sunset period will give living career firefighters a window in which to make a claim under the presumptive legislation, as if the presumptive legislation had an open commencement date. When we asked for patience and understanding while the review of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act took place, we promised we would listen to the recommendations. Our word is good; we have listened and this is good legislation. In two years we have achieved what the previous Labor government failed to do in 12 years.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016