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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-22 Daily Xml
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DISABILITY WORKS AUSTRALIA

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:42): I seek leave to make an explanation before asking the Minister for Public Sector Management questions regarding Disability WORKS Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Disability WORKS Australia is an organisation which, as described on its website, provides employers with access to a single, free and effective contact point for recruiting people with disabilities. A few weeks ago my office received a call from the CEO of Disability WORKS Australia, Ms Tina Zeleznik, who advised that the organisation has provided services to the state government in managing the SA Public Service Disability Employment Register. From what Ms Zeleznik has said, they do a fine job, having placed 834 job seekers with a disability into the public sector since 2001.

I am told that Disability WORKS Australia managed the Disability Employment Register at no cost to the state government between 2001 and 2007, with the commonwealth footing the bill for this period but, for the past three years, the state government has, to some extent, paid its own way by funding the organisation with $100,000 per year. However, just last week Ms Zeleznik received a letter advising that the funding had been cut from this year's state budget. Despite this, I understand that the state government still intends to retain Disability WORKS' services.

I remind honourable members that, last sitting week, the Minister for Public Sector Management advised that she had requested a report on the progress of measures taken towards the employment of people with a disability in the public sector. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why did the government decide to stop funding DWA?

2. At which point did the government decide to cease funding to DWA?

3. Why did the government cease funding to Disability WORKS Australia before the aforementioned report was finalised?

4. Does the minister concede that it is a bit rich to 'defund' Disability WORKS Australia while still expecting it to provide the Public Service Disability Employment Register?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:44): The Office for Ethical Standards and Professional Integrity works hard to attract people with disabilities into the public sector and, in fact, one of our South Australian Strategic Plan targets seeks to double the number of people with disabilities employed by the South Australian public sector by 2014. The office states that, as of June 2009, the number of employees in the public sector reporting ongoing disability requiring adaptation to their workplace was 959, and I am advised that this is an increase from 777 in 2006. I understand the figures for 2010 will be made available shortly. Although that target is a whole-of-government target, I am advised that the Department for Families and Communities has been designated as the lead agency for the target, and I am obviously involved in liaising with them.

The Public Sector Act provides for the creation of employment programs designed to ensure that people who may suffer disadvantage when applying for employment are provided with opportunities to seek employment with the South Australian public sector. The transition provisions of the act have maintained existing programs, and I am advised that a program is currently in place for people with disabilities, through Disability Works Australia (DWA). DWA facilitates employment of people with a disability through the provision of recruitment and advisory services. As the honourable member has pointed out, I am advised that DWA has established and manages a disability employment register for eligible people with disabilities who are seeking employment in the South Australian public sector.

I am advised that individuals on the register who are referred by DWA for vacancies in the public sector are still required to compete for such positions on the basis of merit with other people who are placed on the register, and this is obviously in accordance with the processes agreed by the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. The Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology is undertaking a review of the public sector employment programs, and I am awaiting further advice on the outcome of that review. I am not aware of changes in provisions to DWA, so I will certainly investigate the matters the Hon. Kelly Vincent has put before me today. In terms of the questions she has posed, I will be very happy to bring back a response.

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