WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Will the minister provide the chamber with details of the new South Australian advisory committee on work-life balance?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:16): I thank the Hon. Mr Hunter for his important question. This government is committed to providing greater flexibility to enable South Australian employers to maximise workforce participation by young workers combining work and study, men and women struggling to combine work and family, and older workers who remain in the workforce as they move towards retirement.

In 2007 South Australia's Strategic Plan was revised and established a new target—Target 2.12, Work-life balance—Improve the quality of life of all South Australians through the maintenance of a healthy work-life balance. SafeWork SA is the lead agency for that target.

In April 2008 the report from the parliamentary Select Committee on Balancing Work and Life Responsibilities, chaired by the member for Hartley, the Hon. Grace Portolesi, recommended the establishment of an advisory committee to drive the promotion of work-life balance across South Australia.

I am pleased to inform the house the first meeting of the new Work-Life Balance Advisory Committee was held in March this year. The primary objective of the committee will be the engagement of employer and employee representatives to promote target 2.12 and to provide the government with advice specifically linked to the achievement of key initiatives of the work-life balance strategy.

The committee has been established for a fixed term of three years and will be chaired by Professor Rosemary Owens, Dean of Law and head of the University of Adelaide law school. The membership of 10 consists of eight women and two men, with four nominated representatives from employer and employee organisations respectively, and a further four direct appointments from government, academic and community representatives.

The issue of work-life balance has been an emerging industrial and social issue during the past 10 years. South Australia is now in a position to capitalise on the new federal government priority of work and family. The Hon. Julia Gillard, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, recently announced that Senator Jacinta Collins has been appointed special adviser to the minister on work and family balance and pay equity, to develop new policy initiatives and promote family friendly work arrangements.

The formation of the Work-Life Balance Advisory Committee offers the government the opportunity to work with business, unions, academics and the broader community to address the need for flexible work options to combat our ageing population, low female workforce participation rates and predicted skills shortages.