Office of Worksafe Programs
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WRITTEN QUESTIONS
11th Assembly
24/02/2010
82. Office of Worksafe Programs
Ms Purick to MINISTER for Justice and Attorney-General
QUESTION
ANSWER
Answered on 08/04/2010
Ms Purick to Justice and Attorney-General
In the Office of NT WorkSafe for the year 2008/2009:
1. What extra resources, in form of personnel and dollars, have been allocated to the Office of WorkSafe to manage the massive harmonisation programme in relation to occupational health and safety regulation and management?
2. Is the harmonisation programme meeting agreed outcomes and what are the agreed outcomes? If not meeting the agreed outcomes, why not?
3. How many positions are there in the Office of WorkSafe in total?
5. How many positions are currently being advertised and at what cost?
6. How many investigations into safety breaches and/or accidents are underway by the Office of Worksafe for all of the Northern Territory?
7. How many of these investigations are in relation to either mineral leases, exploration leases or extractive leases (including extractive permits)?
8. How many of these investigations have lead to prosecution?
9. How many of the investigations lead to a person, corporation or agency receiving fines, warnings or any other discipline under the legislation?
WRITTEN QUESTIONS
11th Assembly
24/02/2010
82. Office of Worksafe Programs
Ms Purick to MINISTER for Justice and Attorney-General
QUESTION
- In the Office of Worksafe for the year 2008/2009:
1. What extra resources, in form of personnel and dollars, have been allocated to the Office of Worksafe to manage the massive harmonisation programme in relation to occupational health and safety regulation and management?
2. Is the harmonisation programme meeting agreed outcomes and what are the agreed outcomes? If not meeting the agreed outcomes, why not?
3. How many positions are there in the Office of Worksafe in total?
4. How many positions are filled?
5. How many positions are not filled and which ones are they?
6. How many positions are currently being advertised and at what cost?
7. How many investigations into safety breaches and/or accidents are underway by the Office of Worksafe for all of the Northern Territory?
8. How many of these investigations are in relation to either mineral leases, exploration leases or extractive leases (including extractive permits)?
9. How many of these investigations have lead to prosecution?
10. How many of the investigations lead to a person, corporation or agency receiving fines, warnings or any other discipline under the legislation?
ANSWER
Answered on 08/04/2010
Ms Purick to Justice and Attorney-General
In the Office of NT WorkSafe for the year 2008/2009:
1. What extra resources, in form of personnel and dollars, have been allocated to the Office of WorkSafe to manage the massive harmonisation programme in relation to occupational health and safety regulation and management?
- As at 30 June 2009, no extra resources were allocated.
2. Is the harmonisation programme meeting agreed outcomes and what are the agreed outcomes? If not meeting the agreed outcomes, why not?
- On 26 March 2008, Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed a broad and bold regulatory reform agenda, involving 27 regulatory reform areas. These reforms include national harmonisation of occupational health and safety (OH&S) laws.
COAG agreed that its commitment to harmonisation would be reflected in an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), with model legislation to be developed and submitted to the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council by September 2009.
On 3 July 2008, Ministers signed the Intergovernmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in Occupational Health and Safety (IGA),
COAG also agreed to accelerate the implementation timetable by one year to 2011.
The model legislation will consist of a model principal OHS Act, supported by model regulations and model codes of practice that can be readily adopted in each jurisdiction.
The model Act, which is publicly available on the Safe Work Australia website, meets the agreed COAG outcomes.
3. How many positions are there in the Office of WorkSafe in total?
- As at 30 June 2009, there were 60 full time established positions and four supernumerary positions
- As at 30 June 2009, 56 positions were filled.
- How many positions are not filled and which ones are they?
As at 30 June 2009, eight positions are not filled. They are:
T3 WorkSafe Officer
T3 WorkSafe Officer
T3 WorkSafe Officer
T3 WorkSafe Officer (Electrical)
T3 WorkSafe Officer (Electrical)
T5 Principal WorkSafe Officer (Electrical)
P2 Senior WorkSafe Engineer Mining
A04 Licensing Registrar
5. How many positions are currently being advertised and at what cost?
- As at 30 June 2009, three positions were advertised, at a cost of $410.96.
6. How many investigations into safety breaches and/or accidents are underway by the Office of Worksafe for all of the Northern Territory?
- During the period 1 July 2008 to
30 June 2009, there were 12 new investigations arising from workplace fatalities.
7. How many of these investigations are in relation to either mineral leases, exploration leases or extractive leases (including extractive permits)?
- None of the 12 new investigations into fatalities occurring in 2008-09 were mining related.
8. How many of these investigations have lead to prosecution?
- None of the 12 new investigations into fatalities had led to finalised prosecutions as at 30 June 2009. The Workplace Health and Safety Act provides for prosecution within three years.
9. How many of the investigations lead to a person, corporation or agency receiving fines, warnings or any other discipline under the legislation?
- As at 30 June 2009, six of the 12 new investigations into fatalities had been finalised with a recommendation for no prosecution. The remainder were still under active investigation as at 30 June 2009.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016