By Misha Schubert
JULIA Gillard will keep the nation's most politicised public servant, Barbara Bennett, as head of the Workplace Authority for two years.
Despite calls by the unions for Ms Bennett to be sacked after appearing in WorkChoices advertisements, the Workplace Minister yesterday told The Age she intended to let her serve to the end of 2009, when the new industrial architecture takes effect. The same would apply to Workplace Ombudsman Nick Wilson and Australian Building and Construction Commissioner John Lloyd.
"I am happy for them to continue in their current roles," Ms Gillard said. "My criticisms were not of individuals but clearly with the significant problems with the last government's policy."
On the verge of making history as the first woman to act as Australia's prime minister when Kevin Rudd heads to Bali for the climate change conference tomorrow, Ms Gillard said she hoped the milestone would inspire girls and young women to set even higher goals. "Whatever those girls aspire to — whether it's politics or business or one of the professions or sport — there's a sense of even more possibility," she said.
In a wide-ranging interview across her super ministry of education, workplace relations and social inclusion, Ms Gillard revealed that:
■ Contentious teacher summer schools will go ahead, despite Labor's past criticisms, while she considers a broader scheme.
■ The Fair Pay Commission will not be forced to publish minutes of its deliberations in setting the minimum wage for two more years, but she stressed her preference was for greater transparency in such decisions.
■ Business and unions will be consulted on the workplace transition bill on December 18 at her first meeting with the National Workplace Relations Consultative Council.
■ Meetings with state and territory education and IR ministers will be held in January, when the Business Advisory Group will also be appointed.