Labour relations and workplace safety - budget cuts
2630. Hon Alison Xamon to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Commerce
I refer to Budget Papers page 877, Details of controlled grants and subsidies, and ask —
(1) Will the Minister please explain the cuts to the grants to —
(a) Safety and Health, Chamber of Commerce;
(b) Trades and Labour Council; and
(c) Workplace Reform — Unions and Employer association?
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied:
The Department of Commerce advises:
(1) (a) A grant funding scheme for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry ceased at the end of June 2009. A final payment for 2008/09 of $17,500 (rounded to $18,000) was made in January 2010.
The grant was finalised due to a diminished need for assistance to support and respond to activities associated with the Commission for Occupational Safety and Health. The funding has, instead, been used as part of Western Australia's contribution to SafeWork Australia.
(b) A grant funding scheme for the Trades and Labor Council ceased at the end of June 2009. A final payment for 2008/09 of $7,000 was made in January 2010.
The grant was finalised for the same reason as in (a). The Funding has instead been directed to Safe Work Australia as in (a).
(c) An entry in the Grants table has been made against the incorrect line.
The $260,000 (2008/09 Actual) adjacent to "Workplace Reform -Unions and Employer Association" should have appeared adjacent to the "Employment Law Centre Western Australia". There was no funding allocated to "Workplace Reform -Unions and Employer Association".
This error does not affect other figures or the column totals in the table