SAFEWORK SA INSPECTORS

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:00): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Can the minister advise the chamber of the number of SafeWork SA inspectors providing field and front-line services to South Australian workplaces?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for his important question. I would also like to acknowledge the many years that the Hon. Mr Kandelaars represented workers in occ health and safety within the state of South Australia.

The government considers achieving safe and fair workplaces to be one of our most critical priorities. To this end, SafeWork SA is the agency responsible for administering the full complement of occ health, safety and welfare education, prevention and enforcement services in South Australia. SafeWork SA works closely with employers, employees, unions and industry representatives to achieve safe, fair and productive working lives.

I am proud to say that overall the number of occ health and safety inspectors in South Australia has significantly increased under this Labor government and clearly demonstrates the government's determination to ensure continual improvements in work health and safety. I am advised the government currently funds 89 occupational health and safety inspectors and five industrial relations inspectors, totalling 94 budgeted full-time equivalent inspectors at SafeWork SA.

The Hon. J.M. Gazzola: I was distracted; can you repeat that?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: There are 89 occ health and safety inspectors and five industrial relations inspectors, totalling 94 budgeted full-time equivalents. I can confirm that the number of occ health and safety inspectors has not reduced in recent years. The number of industrial relations inspectors funded by the state government reduced when state industrial relations powers were transferred to the commonwealth, a necessary adjustment given that private sector industrial relations no longer come within SafeWork SA's purview.

However, 28 additional SafeWork SA industrial relations inspectors are funded by the Fair Work Ombudsman to deliver industrial relations compliance services to the private sector. For clarity, the number of active duty inspectors can, of course, fluctuate below these figures from time to time due to factors such as leave provisions, staffing matters and recruitment processes. On this point, it can be noted that SafeWork SA is currently undertaking a recruitment process to recruit more occ health and safety inspectors into the agency to address eight vacancies that exist.

Regardless of staffing and budgetary processes, SafeWork SA's focus has always been and will always remain on maintaining front-line services in the field to ensure the continuation of the level of service required by industry in South Australia and a continued fulfilment of statutory responsibilities. The most obvious reference point for SafeWork SA's performance is against the backdrop of the national occ health and safety target of a 40 per cent reduction in workplace accidents and injuries over the period 2002 to 2012.

To meet the national target, jurisdictions will need to have recorded a 32 per cent improvement from the baseline period to 30 June 2010. Data (provided by WorkCover SA) and analysis indicates that as at December 2010 the incidence of work-related injuries and illness for all workplaces in South Australia fell by 36 per cent, exceeding this requirement. In other words, South Australia is well on track to achieve targeted injury reductions. The SafeWork Australia Comparative Performance Monitoring Report (13^th edition) also shows that out of all states and territories only South Australia exceeded the required rate of improvement to meet that national standard. Now, that is good news, wouldn't you agree?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Fantastic news. The data shows that South Australia has also consistently delivered workplace interventions on an equivalent basis with interstate jurisdictions. On many occasions South Australia has also achieved higher worksite intervention delivery than other states. This means that South Australia not only achieves the national commitments agreed to between states and territories, but that we punch above our weight on many occasions. The rate of workplace accidents and injuries has fallen in every year since SafeWork SA has had carriage of responsibility for the administration of occ health and safety legislation.

These reductions have been more marked than any previous measure, and the rate of improvement in this state has not been matched by any other state or territory. South Australia's outstanding performance in reducing accidents and injuries is underpinned by a strategic framework encompassing a suite of integrated programs and activities. Overall this government is firmly committed to ensuring that South Australian workers come home safely to their loved ones at the end of the day.