THE inquiry into the destruction of Indigenous heritage sites at Juukan Gorge will be examining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage legislation in Queensland, on Tuesday May 18, with a public hearing by videoconference.

The committee will be hearing from representatives of the Australian Heritage Specialists and the Cape York Land Council.

In their submission to the DATSIP review of Queensland Cultural Heritage Acts the Australian Heritage Specialists comment that the States Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act should strike a balance between protecting cultural heritage and providing government and businesses achievable, clear-cut, and practical processes.

A key concern of the Cape York Land Councils is that Indigenous cultural heritage protection and management decisions associated with development or resource use proposals must no longer be made by politicians or bureaucrats.

Northern Australia Committee Chair Warren Entsch is intent on understanding the issues stakeholders are having in their respective states so that the committee will be able to produce solutions that will relate to the issues States and Territories are having with their Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Legislation.

Mr Entsch said, "The committee is determined to listen to stakeholders from Queensland to comprehend the specific issues they have with the States Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Legislation, the committee will endeavor to address these concerns in our report."

A program for the public hearing is available on the committee’s website.

Public hearing details

Date: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Time: 10am to 12pm AEST
Location: by video/teleconference

The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

Further details of the inquiry, including terms of reference, can be found on the committee’s website.

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TODAY Volunteering Queensland will launch the first State of Volunteering in Queensland 2021 Report. The report found that, remarkably, more than 3 million people -- more than 75 percent of the population -- volunteered 900 million hours in 2020, a year that was challenging for all.

“We have always believed that the majority of Queenslanders volunteer in some way. Now we have the evidence to confirm that, with over 3 million Queenslanders volunteering – that’s a participation rate of 75.7 percent and certainly something we should all be proud of and celebrate," Volunteering Queensland CEO Mara Basanovic said.

“Whilst we now have evidence of the high participation rate in both informal and formal volunteering, there are still many challenges facing the volunteering sector. About 38 percent of volunteer-involving organisations saw a decrease in their volunteer numbers, with time and health reasons being the main barriers to people being able to volunteer," Ms Basanovic said.

The report has uncovered the true value of volunteering in the state, with volunteers contributing almost $84 billion in value to the Queensland community. 

Another astounding finding is the size of the volunteer workforce in Queensland. The volunteer workforce is three times the size of the Queensland Government and nearly as big as the private sector. The cost to replace the labour of this workforce in 2020 would have been approximately $37.1 billion.

"We have always known that volunteering is a valuable contributor to Queensland’s economy. Now we have the hard facts, each year volunteering contributes almost $84 billion to our state. 

Not only does volunteering contribute almost $84 billion annually to the community, it also offers a significant return on investment. For every $1 invested in volunteering, it delivers a return of $4.10 back to the community," Ms Basanovic said.

Queenslanders are motivated to volunteer to help each other, the simple act of giving, she said.

"As we celebrate National Volunteer Week 2021, we recognise the selfless act of over 3 million Queenslanders who are giving their precious time for an average 5.7 hours every week to help others."

On Friday May 21, as National Volunteer Week comes to an end, Volunteering Queensland will be celebrating these remarkable volunteers at the Queensland Volunteer Awards. 

www.volunteeringqld.org.au

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NEW HESTA aged care workforce research reveals Australia is at risk of missing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the skilled workforce needed to meet future demand -- if there is not an adequate national effort to improve wages and conditions in the sector.

Released today, the State of the Sector Aged Care Workforce Insights: COVID and Beyond report found poor pay and a lack of career opportunities were causing people to want to leave the industry.

“Our research shows we must act now to improve wages and working conditions if we’re to attract the skilled and talented people needed to provide high-quality care for older Australians,” HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said.

“We have more than 200,000 members who work or have worked in aged care. Transforming the aged care system must start with the people central to delivering these critical services and improving outcomes for older Australians.

“Improving the quality and sustainability of aged care jobs will improve the financial future of our members working in the sector. A stronger aged care system is also vital for our members and all working Australians who will directly rely on these services as they age.”

The research found significant improvement in aged care workforce sentiment across a range of measures in a challenging year, pointing to a potential opportunity for the sector and government.

“Our research shows aged care professionals are feeling prouder to work in the sector and more connected to their employers and leaders. Workforce strategies implemented now could be particularly effective at attracting and retaining aged care professionals,” Ms Blakey said.

“We can’t afford to waste this opportunity.”

Ms Blakey welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement in the Federal Budget of a $17.7 billion funding package but said there remained widespread industry concern that this may be inadequate to urgently address issues identified by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

“The Royal Commission warned of an understaffed, underpaid and poorly trained workforce. The research is clear – our members are telling us these are key concerns and would cause them to leave the industry or not recommend others work in the sector,” Ms Blakey said.

“Without strong advocates from employees in aged care, we’ll struggle to attract the people needed to lift standards and meet the expected increase in demand from our ageing population.”

Ms Blakey welcomed the announcement of aged care funding in the Budget, including $216.7 million over three years to grow and upskill the workforce. The sector would also benefit from government-supported education and skills training, with an additional 33,800 Vocational Education and Training courses for the sector and a $91.8 million commitment to train an additional 13,000 home care workers over the next two years.

Ms Blakey said, while there was a raft of measures designed to improve quality and safety – including mandating additional hours of care – it would be difficult to attract the necessary professionals needed to deliver better client outcomes without addressing low rates of pay.

“Despite the critical care our members provide in aged care too many are in poorly paid and insecure employment that leaves them in a precarious financial position that was all too apparent during COVID,” Ms Blakey said.

About a quarter of HESTA aged care members (45,000-plus) made a claim to access their super early under the Federal Government’s scheme.

The research found aged care professionals’ top three reasons for leaving their employers were a lack of skill development opportunities, wanting to try something different and low pay.

More than 4600 of HESTA’s members working in health and community services (HACS), including more than 1500 aged care professionals, were asked about their work experiences, job intentions and if they’d recommend a career in the sector. As part of the research, HESTA also spoke to employers, peak bodies and unions in the sector, who agreed unanimously that improving wages, working conditions and providing more skills and career development opportunities was essential to creating high-quality jobs in aged care.

The research provides a unique insight into the workforce with surveys taking a pre-COVID snapshot in May 2019 and during the pandemic in July 2020.

When asked if they felt appreciated and valued by their employer and the community, the answers revealed a highly polarised workforce. Between 32-38 percent of aged care employees said they were unlikely to recommend their employers, leaders, or career in the sector.

“This significant number of detractors of the sector could create real difficulties in attracting the next generation of the aged care workforce, which the Royal Commission said needed to grow by 70 percent by 2050 to maintain current staffing levels in the face of rising demand,” Ms Blakey said.

The research into the aged care workforce expanded on HESTA’s 2018 Transforming Aged Care report. HESTA plans to release further in-depth research into other industries across health and community services.

“We’re committed to helping our partners meet one of the biggest challenges facing the caring economy, addressing potential workforce shortages,” Ms Blakey said.

The report is available at hesta.com.au/agedcarereport21

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THE report of the Inquiry into Defence relationships in the Pacific undertaken by Defence Sub-Committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade was tabled last week.

Chair of the Sub-Committee Andrew Wallace MP said Defence and security challenges faced in the Pacific are now more prevalent and complex than ever before. ​

“It behoves all members of our Pacific family to be aware of emerging issues, and to face them together in an organised, collaborative, and coordinated manner. As a regional medium-power, Australia bears significant responsibility for creating the environment and providing the means to achieve this..” he said.

The inquiry report and its recommendations reflect the fact that there are several existing and proven defence initiatives and programs which contribute significantly to the Pacific Step-up. These include the long-standing Defence Cooperation Program and the Pacific Maritime Security Program.

The report also indicates that there are ways to improve these initiatives, as well as new and innovative ways to forge, deepen and strengthen defence ties between members of the Pacific family. This is where the future of Australian defence relationships should be focussed.

“From fisheries management, protection and surveillance, to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, intelligence collection and sharing, climate change and the global pandemic, Australia’s defence organisation stands ready to play its part in the Pacific Step-up. There is, however, more to be done.” Mr Wallace said.

This Parliamentary inquiry examined Australia’s Defence relationships with Pacific Island nations in the context of the Pacific Step-up. The inquiry heard from a range of Academic, Government, and Non-Government Agencies over two days of public hearings in July 2020 and via a number of written submissions provided to the Sub-Committee from Government agencies, academia and individuals. ​

While the conduct of the inquiry was impacted by COVID-19, the submissions received, and evidence heard at public hearings was of the highest quality and the committee thanks all of those who contributed to it. This report and its recommendations reflect the committee’s belief that Australia’s defence relationships in the Pacific are extremely important, are becoming increasingly so, and that additional efforts can and should be made to ensure the security of our region in the years to come. ​

Further details about the about the inquiry, including terms of reference, details on how to contribute a submission and, when available, details of public hearings and roundtable discussions, can also be obtained from the committee’s website.

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A QUEENSLAND construction company has been given a one-month sanction preventing it from tendering for Australian Government-funded work and another company has been issued a formal warning following ABCC investigations.

MCP (AUS) Pty Ltd has become subject to an exclusion sanction. Minister for Industrial Relations Michaela Cash has issued a one-month exclusion sanction against Queensland company MCP after a mobile concrete pump truck it was operating toppled while working on the joint Queensland and Commonwealth Government-funded Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project.

The concrete pump truck with a 60m boom had been incorrectly set up resulting in the boom overbalancing and the crane tipping over. No one was injured in the incident.

MCP pleaded guilty in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court to failing to comply with its health and safety duty under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) (WHS Act). The company was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, along with costs.

MCP made full admissions before the court, and fully cooperated with the ABCC, took positive steps to remediate its conduct and satisfy the regulator that it had provided a measure of voluntary rectification.

The exclusion sanction is the first imposed under the Building Code 2016 for a contravention by a Code covered entity of health and safety laws. 

The Code provides that where the ABCC Commissioner refers a breach of work health and safety laws to the Minister, the Minister must impose an exclusion sanction unless the Minister decides it would not be appropriate in the circumstances.

In her letter to MCP imposing the sanction, which will extend to June 23, Minister Cash said, “The Australian Government takes any work health and safety contraventions very seriously given the potential for tragic outcomes, including serious injury and death. While the fact that there were no injuries as a result of this particular incident weights against imposing a lengthy exclusion sanction, I am not satisfied that this, MCP’s cooperation with the ABC Commissioner or the steps taken to improve safety following the incident, render it inappropriate to impose any exclusion sanction at all.”

A formal warning has also been issued by the Minister to i2 Solutions.

Minister Cash issued a formal warning to Queensland-based building company Intelligent Infrastructure Solutions Pty Ltd, also known as i2 Solutions, for its failure to pay subcontractors and breaches of security of payment laws.

The road construction company, which went into voluntary receivership on June 1, 2020, has left subcontractors out of pocket to the tune of $166,375 and failed to make on time payments worth more than $1.19 million to contractors.

Prior to entering into administration, i2 Solutions operated in Queensland, NSW and Victoria on large road infrastructure projects.

In 2019 and early 2020, i2 Solutions failed to pay a number of its subcontractors on time or at all, on the M4 Smart Motorway project in NSW and the Logan Enhancement Project in Queensland.

The security of payment breaches committed by i2 Solutions include:

• · failure to make payments totalling $1,196,416 on time to different subcontractors;
• · failure to pay a subcontractor $127,026, determined by an adjudicator;
• · failure to pay one subcontractor claims totalling $39,349;
• · intimidating and threatening behaviour during an adjudication process with a subcontractor.

ABCC Commissioner Stephen McBurney said, "The breaches of security of payment obligations amounted to breaches of the Code. These had a serious and deleterious impact on the companies who had undertaken building work for which they were not paid or not paid on time.

“The conduct of i2 Solutions, their abject failure to remediate their conduct, to demonstrate contrition or remorse, or to rectify their conduct warrants the action taken by the Minister.

“The imposition of a sanction by way of a formal warning is an important outcome, supported by the public interest, to deter others from similar conduct, to publicise the breaches in this case and to ensure the industry is made aware of the contraventions committed by i2 Solutions.”

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THE Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security tabled its report on Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020 last week.

The Committee recommended that, following the implementation of the recommendations in its report, the IPO Bill 2020 be passed by Parliament.

The Chair, Senator James Paterson, said, “An international production orders scheme will provide Australia’s law enforcement agencies and ASIO with much faster access to evidence during the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes, a vital power in an increasingly digital world where much evidence is located offshore.

“The Committee’s recommendations seek to provide necessary assurances that any international agreement that Australia enters into under the provisions in the Bill are necessary, proportionate and subject to appropriate oversight.” Senator Paterson said.

The Committee recommended that the Bill contain a list of conditions governing designated international agreements, including on the non-use of the death penalty on Australian-sourced information, as well as the conditions a foreign country must meet prior to Australia negotiating a designated international agreement.

In addition, the Committee recommended that the authority to apply for an international production order be confined to senior officers in the relevant law enforcement agencies and ASIO. The Committee also made a number of recommendations to enhance oversight of the powers.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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AFTER MANY MONTHS of discussions, the Australian Workers' Union has welcomed a Federal Government intervention that will ensure Australia's last two fuel refineries remain open and continue to underpin the nation's fuel security.

The Federal Government has today announced it will guarantee a production payment to refineries in times of difficulty, as well as providing capital to co-invest in sulphur reduction upgrades. These measures will ensure the Lytton refinery in Queensland and the Viva refinery in Victoria stay running.

AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said after months of discussions with politicians and refinery management today's announcement was a great result.

"We've been saying for months Australia should never become a nation that can't make its own fuel, and that we need not reach that dire situation if we get a few policy settings right," Mr Walton said.

"We are extremely satisfied to see the Federal Government come to the party today with this very important suite of measures.

"The security of the production payment provision, along with the investment to make cleaner fuel, will underpin longevity for both refineries. Today's announcement will save thousands of jobs, both directly at the refineries and indirectly through jobs supported in the community.

"Importantly for the national interest, the ongoing viability of our refineries mean the skills of highly specialised technicians will be preserved – skills that will be needed as we transition toward a future of hydrogen and renewables.

“Being able to make our own fuel is a critical sovereign capability. Without it, we are completely at the mercy of trade routes that are threatened by potential international conflict or pandemics," Mr Walton said.

"If these refineries had shut it would mean Australia was fully dependent on fragile supply chains running through global hotspots to power our transport, aviation, agriculture, and defence industries.

"We urge the states to work with the Federal Government to ensure the Federal Government's policies are durable and calibrated to ensure Australia retains its fuel refining capacity.”

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THE NSW Government is being urged to intervene and employ NSW's contact tracers directly, with hundreds of the disease detectives uncertain about their ongoing work.

The Public Service Association (PSA) is warning NSW's contact tracers, many of whom are stood down aviation workers, may soon walk after more than a year of insecure work and growing rostering chaos.

While some contact tracers are employed directly by the Ministry of Health, many who do the follow up calls, including advising people of a close contact, advising on changing restrictions, and following up that people are following isolation orders, have been employed for more than a year through ad-hoc labour hire arrangements.

"Insecure work and pandemics just don't mix," assistant secretary of the PSA, Troy Wright said. "Labour hire means insecure conditions for workers, poor value for taxpayers, and puts the entire contact tracing system at risk.

"COVID-19 isn't going anywhere. We need to make contact tracers permanent employees so that they'll be there when we need them. The government needs to be retaining these skilled workers."

Recently the union has heard of rising absenteeism, increased turnover, and plummeting morale as management refuses to provide certainty around shifts or ongoing work.

"NSW's gold standard contact tracing system is at risk because the government refuses to offer any job security," Mr Wright said.

"These people have a tough enough job as it is. They're the ones on the end of the phone telling someone Christmas is cancelled or that they may have unknowingly exposed loved ones. They don't deserve the added stress of knowing that if they speak up about conditions they'll be shown the door."

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