Public Sector Employment

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:18): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to directing a question to the leader of the government on the subject of public sector redundancy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Last year, the government announced its new policy that as of July of last year they would be able to sack public servants after a period of 12 months, when the public sector generally would be used to try to find a job for anyone whose position had been declared surplus to the department or agency's requirements. My question to the minister is: is it the government's policy that the 12-month period before a public servant can be forced to leave their job commenced at the time when the public servant's job was originally declared redundant and the public servant was originally declared surplus to the department's requirements?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:19): I am pleased to take that question on notice and to bring back a response. I am not familiar with that level of detail but, as I said, I am happy to take it on notice and bring back a response.