Senator Trish Crossin has welcomed the announcement by Minister Julia Gillard, that financial assistance for Community Based Employment Advice Services, such as the NT Working Women’s Centre will receive a further two years funding.
Date: 09 June 2010
Senator Trish Crossin has welcomed the announcement by Minister Julia Gillard, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister that financial assistance for Community Based Employment Advice Services, such as the NT Working Women\'s Centre, that deliver vital workplace services and advice for our most vulnerable workers will receive a further two years funding.
"Difficulties at work can put huge pressure on Territory workers, especially women. In this way, the Working Women\'s Centres have been a vital support to our working women, when they have needed it the most", Senator Crossin said.
"As the inaugural Chair of the NT Working Women\'s Centre I am aware of the range of industrial matters that confront women in the workplace such as bullying, sexual harassment, instant dismissal, discriminatory work practices and unfair employment conditions such as AWAs."
With the risk of Mr Abbott\'s Work Choices returning, should he be elected, services such as this one are even more important.
The funding will be shared across existing services, not only Working Women\'s Centres in the Northern Territory, but also South Australia and Queensland, and the Employment Law Centre of Western Australia.
The Working Women\'s Centre provide services like a telephone advice service; self-help information sessions for people representing themselves before Fair Work Australia; community legal education and a research service.
The not-for-profit organisations that play a valuable role in providing advice, assistance and information to Australians who experience difficulties in asserting and exercising their workplace rights. Funding will total $1.2 million over two years and will provide certainty for staff and the thousands of people each year who use these services. In the NT, the Working Women\'s Centre will receive $207,000 per year.
The Australian Government will further develop Community Based Employment Advice Services to:
- In future provide a more even and secure funding base for the Community Based Employment Advice Services to be based on triennial agreements;
- Explore the possibility of new centres in those states where none exist;
- Make funding more consistent across all centres; and
- Establish consistency across the centres so that things like staff exchange programs, information sharing, referral protocols and access to training and support can happen.
"After a number of reviews and many months of lobbying, the Rudd government has recognised the role that this centre plays in the NT. We have delivered on our promise to get rid of Work Choices and create the new Fair Work system including by funding these kinds of services," Senator Crossin said.
In contrast phoney Tony Abbott poses a risk to keeping our economy strong and is determined to impose extreme policies like Work Choices on working Australians. A risk women can\'t afford.