Employees’ Inspector of Mines positions

Extract from Hansard

5224. Hon Alison Xamon to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum

I refer to the Employee’s Inspectors of Mines positions created under section 19 of the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994, and to the Mines Safety and Inspection Levy created by the Mines Safety and Inspection Amendment Act 2010, and I ask —

(1) Has the remuneration package for the Employee’s Inspectors of Mines been increased since the Mines Safety and Inspection Levy was created?

(2) If yes to (1), by how much?

(3) Since the last election for the position of Employee’s Inspector of Mines for the Pilbarra region in November 2009, when no nominations were received:

(a) has the position been readvertised; and

(b) has the Department for Mines and Petroleum received any nominations for the position?

Hon NORMAN MOORE replied:

(1) Yes, the remuneration package for Employee’s Inspectors has been increased since the inception of the Mine Safety Levy. The remuneration package for Employee’s Inspectors has been reclassified from a Public Sector General Agreement Pay Scale L5 to a L6 Year 4 and has also been increased by the normal Public Service remuneration review process since the Mine Safety and Inspection Levy was created.

(2) The total rise in remuneration (excluding superannuation) for an Employee’s Inspector over the period adds up to $16,958.00. An additional increase of $3,745.00 is due on 13 April 2012.

(3)

(a) No, the position has not been re-advertised as the three previous attempts in 2007, 2008 and 2009 had failed to provide any nominees with the required experience and qualifications. Also, as the Model Act does not have any provision for the election of Employee’s Inspectors, the expected transition to the harmonised legislation in January 2012 now deferred until January 2013 makes additional efforts to appoint an Employee’s Inspector a waste of resources. As a part of the RADARS initiative 14 Perth based inspectors with suitable experience and qualifications have been recruited, trained and allocated to the North West. This includes inspectors with extensive mobile and fixed plant experience.

(b) No person with the required experience and qualifications has put their name forward over this time.