Mr Bevis asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 28 August 1997:

(1) Are proposals being considered to protect Army Reserve's interests during call-out and collective training which will guarantee a return to employment; if so, what.

(2) Is financial compensation for employers being considered; if so, what.

(3) Is legislation required to protect Reservist's civilian employment; if so, what.

(4) Are programs planned to encourage and facilitate greater participation and involvement of private sector employers in support of Reservists; if so, what.

(5) Is the Government considering the removal of tax exemptions from payments to Reservists.

Mr McLachlan —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) Employment protection is a major issue, with the potentially opposing interests of the Reservists, their employers and the ADF to be considered.

The proposals being considered by Government include: amending current legislation or, if necessary, introducing new legislation; reviewing Public Service Defence Leave provisions; and job discrimination provisions to enable Reservists to serve without undue impediment.

Besides employment protection, employer support for Reserves is an essential element of the strategy to protect the civilian interests of Reservists who are called out or volunteer for service overseas on peacekeeping operations or humanitarian relief activities.

A strategy is currently being developed which will include employment protection as well as employer support. This strategy will include input from Defence, employers, Reservists and the wider community.

(2) Financial compensation to employers of Reservists is not being considered by this Government, apart from the members of the former Ready Reserve who have existing entitlements.

(3) The existing legislative provisions in the Defence (Re-establishment) Act 1965, are generally ineffective and in need of major revision if they are to form the basis of future employment protection.

The Government agrees with the need for legislation to protect Reservists' civilian employment, particularly in relation to call out, but also for voluntary service overseas on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief activities, and for continuous periods of normal peacetime training.

Revised or new legislation needs to be reasonable and fair to all the parties involved, taking into consideration their potential opposing interests.

(4) A discussion paper is currently with the Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel for clearance, prior to distribution in 1997 to a wide range of interested parties, including individual employers and employer bodies, state governments and employee industrial organisations. This will be a precursor to extensive follow-up consultations. Public comment will also be sought through advertisements in the press.

An Employer Support Survey, is also being conducted, which will provide the Government with a framework of measures to encourage Reserve service and facilitate improvements to the availability of Reservists for training.

This survey is nearing completion but will need to be analysed and considered before any decisions and initiatives are made on suitable programs to encourage and facilitate greater participation and involvement of private sector employers in support of Reservists.

Each of these initiatives, together with the legislative actions already mentioned, will be important inputs to the redevelopment, later this year, of a higher level broadly representative employer support organisation aimed at creating a cooperative and mutually beneficial arrangement between employers and their Reservist employees. It will enable each of the Services to plan with more certainty regarding the availability of, and the use of Reservists which is an increasingly important part of this structure.

(5) The Government has no plans to remove the current tax exemptions from payments to Reservists.