Bill Encourages Greater Union And Employee Involvement In Industry Training

Legislation introduced into the Parliament is intended to encourage much greater union and employee participation in industry training.

Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey says that the
Tertiary Education Reform Bill, which received its First Reading in the House last evening amends the Industry Training Act 1992.

“A Review of industry training completed earlier this year identified that the general scheme of the Act is appropriate. But it also identified a number of areas where changes are necessary.

“Included in the reforms is a new provision that will require Industry Training Organisations to provide for the collective representation of employees in the governance of ITOs.

“Trade unions already are making an important contribution to the governance of a large number of ITOs and the Government wants to encourage a much higher degree of bi-partite cooperation between employers and unions in industry training.

“This provision honours a commitment made by the Labour Party prior to the last election. It is also consistent with the other amendments to the Industry Training Act that are designed to encourage more effective and responsive ITOs which are capable of leading out industry training in a more strategic manner,” Steve Maharey said.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>