55th Parliament Issued by Authority of the President of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly

Activities during June 2003

Terms of Reference received by resolution of the Legislative Assembly on 3 June 2003.

(b) whether there are particular issues for industry and business in rural and regional areas and how these regions may benefit from cultural diversity in Victoria including by addressing labour market shortages through new or recent arrivals from overseas;

(c) identify ways to take advantage of cultural diversity in the economy to increase Victoria's productivity and export markets;

(d) the appropriate role of Government in facilitating maximum use of Victoria's cultural diversity to promote productivity and export markets; and

(e) identify ways of measuring the benefits of cultural diversity including new arrivals to the Victorian economy.

Report due 30 September 2004.

Terms of Reference received by resolution of the Legislative Assembly on 3 June 2003.

(a) The extent and breadth of labour hire employment in Victoria, including the:

(i) employment status of workers engaged by labour hire companies;

(ii) use of labour hire in particular industries and/or regions; and

(iii) application of industrial relations, occupational health and safety, and workers compensation legislation.

(b) the consequences of the use of labour hire employment. Consideration should be given, but is not limited, to:

(i) the rights and obligations of labour hire employees, labour hire agencies and/or host employers under industrial relations, occupational health and safety, and workers' compensation legislation. Any ambiguity about the nature of rights and obligations between the three parties should also be considered;

(ii) the impact on industry skills levels;

(iii) contribution to the casualisation of the work force; and

(iv) the extent of any such consequences.

(c) recommendations based on an assessment of the above matters and including consideration of:

(i) the jurisdictional limitations of Victoria's industrial relations powers;

(ii) the recommendations of the New South Wales labour hire task force and the responsibilities of the New South Wales labour hire industry council (if established);

(iii) regulation in other Australian jurisdictions;

(iv) impact on business; and

(v) Worksafe Victoria campaigns and activities.

Report due 31 December 2004.

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2. For inquiry, consideration and report by 30 June 2004 on the impact of the high levels of unmet demand for places in higher education institutions on Victoria, and in particular to consider:

Referred to the Committee during the 54^th Parliament by Order in Council on 20 March 2001 under section 4F of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968.

Work commenced on the Inquiry in January 2002. A discussion paper was released, submissions called for, inspections and public hearings held, a survey of veterinary practitioners undertaken and a draft report prepared. The inquiry lapsed on the prorogation of the Legislative Council and dissolution of the Legislative Assembly on 5 November 2002.

Terms of reference were referred back to the Committee by Order in Council on 15 April 2003 under section 4F of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968.

1. 
   review projected social, economic and environmental impacts of soil acidity at a regional and catchment scale;
   
2. 
   develop recommendations to reduce the projected impact of soil acidity identifying areas for potential partnerships with industry and the community; and
   
3. 
   identify future research and development priorities.
   

Referred by Order in Council on 6 May 2003

1 The decline in the bulk-billing of general practitioner (GP) services in Victoria since 1996;

2. The increase in patient presentations to public hospital emergency departments in Victoria since 1996, and the extent to which this includes providing types of medical services that normally would be provided by a GP in a primary care setting (GP-type services);

3. The causes in increased presentations to public hospital emergency departments in Victoria since 1996, including difficulties in patients gaining access to bulk-billed and after-hours GP services;

4. The availability of after-hours GP services in metropolitan, regional and rural Victoria;

5. What effective measures can be taken to reduce the number of presentations to public hospital emergency departments consistent with maintaining the principle of universal access of eligible persons to health care free of charge at the point of access; and

6. the extent to which Commonwealth and Victorian legislation may affect Victoria's ability to develop and implement effective and patient-centred solutions to relieve the pressure on public hospital emergency departments to provide GP-type services.

In considering this reference, the Committee should examine:

1. Available bulk-billing, patient out-of-pocket expenses and emergency department data at regional and local levels, highlighting where bulk-billing rates are lowest and where emergency department presentations for urgency categories 4 and 5 are highest;

2. The respective roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth and the Victorian governments;

3. Relevant Victorian and Commonwealth policies and legislation, including the 1999-2003 and 2003-08 Australian Health Care Agreements; and

4. Innovative and relevant models of care and service delivery in other Australian States and Territories, and overseas.