NTCOSS is and has been supportive of Portable Long Service Leave for social and community sector employees since the idea was first discussed in the NT in 2016.
We engaged in both previous consultations in 2016 and 2020.
Our letter to the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment from 2020 stated:
“If the NTG is committed to establishing a PLSL scheme for community sector employees, further consultation should be conducted so that the final design of the scheme genuinely meets the needs of both the sector as a whole and the community sector workforce.”
Fast forward to now and the Bill was introduced in March 2024 sittings.
Consultations then occurred with NTCOSS on 17 April 2024 and other selected peaks on 3 May 2024 with resources to inform the sector dated 9 April 2024.
The Bill was published publicly on the NTG Have Your Say website.
NTCOSS has let the Minister know:
Whilst the philosophy of PLSL and enabling our sector’s employees to accrue and access long service leave is good, NTCOSS has two major concerns with the implementation of the scheme introduced and debated today.
• The lack of meaningful consultation, which was too late and with too few members of the community sector consulted, and concerns raised not taken onboard or addressed.
• The impact on the sustainability of the sector.
“There are serious cost implications of PLSL for a sector struggling with arriving at an indexation formula with the NT Government to properly fund the essential services our diverse sector provides,” NTCOSS CEO Sally Sievers said.
“Paying levies to a government board – as the scheme would require – from financially stretched social and community sector organisations without a negotiated commitment to increase funding would be financially irresponsible.”
The three Australia states that have introduced PLSL – soon to be five- worked with their sector peak bodies via working groups over a period of years to ensure implementation was suitable for the sector and employees in the sector.
They worked together to ensure sector sustainability and that it was affordable and right for employees.
NTCOSS along with other peaks do not support the legislation proceeding today in its current form.
Contact Greg Roberts 0429 515 013 or media@ntcoss.org.au