Caucus to study changed bill

Press, 8 March 1988, Page 1

Caucus to study changed bill

BRENDON BURNS,

political reporter

The Cabinet has decided on changes to the State Sector Bill, the amendments will| go to the weekly caucus meeting of Labour members: on Thursday for endorsement? r I

The Cabinet considered proposals yesterday from the Minister of State Services, Mr ißodger, to make a large number of amendments to the controversial -.bill. i j Among these is believed to be a proposal to withdraw ] the Prime Minister’s right to] appoint departmental chief executives. Instead, the Cabinet would make such decisions, td be actioned by the Executive i Council, which usually comprises') the Governor-General and Ministers.

A committee paper yesterday confirmed that other ! changes were being considered. These included specifying which] departmental chief executives would not be] political ] appointments. The (Commissioner of Police, AuditorGeneral, Solicitor-General and head of the State Services Commission were specified.] ■ I • The paper also confirmed that changes were being considered to reduce the bill’s proposals to give the State Services ICoirimission power to appoint health' and hospital board chief executives.

Appeal rights for State servants affected by decisions be-j fore April I were also to be j allowed, said the committee! paper. ] The acting chairmarj of], the I Parliamentary committee considering the State Sector Bill] Mr! Trevor Mallard, said the paper ■ I ' ‘ . .!■•!

detailed technical amendments!

Any Cabinet proposals for more substantive amendments would be considered tomorrow by the caucus industrial relations committee which he chairs. | Mr Mallard said he had many ideas (for amendments also, as would] other Labour members of the committee,! and members of Parliament. “There have been a lot of things that we have picked up just looking at it. carefully — not even brought, out in the submissions.” ! • Mr Mallard said, however, that the , main proposed changes to the ) bill had to have caucus approval, as it had initially endorsed the legislation. The select committee had then to approve any changes. It is expected the caucus will consider any Cabinet proposals for j amendment on Thursday, before the select committee begins its deliberations on the bill. Whatever changes it makes will be included in the bill's likely reporting back to Parliament next week.

Both Mr Lange and Mr Rodger yesterday declined to comment on “The Press” report (March 17) that amendments were to be considered by the Cabinet. ] A 1 spokesman for Mr Rodger would say only] that changes had always been possible. But in response to "The Press”

report, Mr Mallard said there would be little difference in having the Cabinet endorse senior State appointments. “To me, it seems six of one, half a dozen of the other,” he said.

"I mean, let’s face it, the Prime Minister is not going to make an appointment without taking it to the Cabinet anyway.”

Mr Mallard said he believed the Prime Minister would always consult his Cabinet colleagues, particularly the Minister involved and the Minister of State Services.

Among the submissions heard yesterday was one from the Combined Health Employees’ Committee' (C.H.E.C.). It said that with talk of amendments to the bill, making submissions might be pointless. ‘‘lt may finally be a different document as it affects us and we may in fact be totally wasting our time here,” said C.H.E.C.’s national co-ordinator, Mr Malcolm Mac Lean.

He sought some indication from the committee on changes likely to be made.

Mr Mallard said there was absolutely! no chance of this in advance of formal consideration of .the bill by the committee after all; submissions were heard. “Even if we had considered it, it (would be a breach of privilege.”