12. Question No. 12—Workplace Relations and SafetyJAN LOGIE (Green) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and SafetyQuestion No. 12—Workplace Relations and Safety12. JAN LOGIE (Green) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Will the advice he is seeking to ensure that the Covid Leave Support Scheme is meeting its objectives" include whether the leave support scheme should be extended and expanded before the summer holiday period?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): My focus is on working with other Ministers to ensure that the leave support scheme is working as effectively as possible to ensure people who need to self-isolate as a result of COVID-19 are supported. Ensuring the scheme is working effectively is a priority and so if any changes are agreed upon I'm sure that we will look to implement them as soon as possible but I'm not imposing any arbitrary time lines on that.Jan Logie: Does he believe that as a matter of workplace health and safety and general public health everyone who displays COVID-19 - like symptoms should get a test and self-isolate while waiting for test results?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Yes. That is consistent with the health advice and the steps that we can all take to continue the elimination of COVID-19.Jan Logie: Is he aware that the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme is very limited in coverage and doesn't include most workers awaiting a test or test results; so the thousands of seasonal horticultural retail and hospitality workers employed this summer who we're all going to be engaging with will have no financial support to stay home while experiencing COVID-19 - like symptoms?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Yes I'm aware that the COVID Leave Support Scheme is not comprehensive. What I do note is that—and it's important to clarify this—the scheme effectively is an income supplement to employers to support them in providing employees with adequate leave. The Government continues to encourage employers and employees to work together effectively so that people stay away from work when they are sick and one of the reasons that we are continuing to review the scheme is to make sure that we're providing support where appropriate.Jan Logie: Does the Minister recognise the workplace health and safety and public health risk of a significant proportion of the workforce not having guaranteed access to paid sick leave during a pandemic?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I believe and the Government believes that adequate paid sick leave is an important part of our system in ensuring that people are kept safe and that we stop the spreading of bugs and infections in the workplace. That's one of the reasons why the Government's moved to extend paid sick leave in the House today.Jan Logie: Why have these changes not happened already when we've experienced already a workplace-related cluster resulting in our largest city moving to alert level 3?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I'm in my first month as Minister in this portfolio and I've already asked for advice—Chris Bishop: You're not doing very well.Hon MICHAEL WOOD: —so that I can work with other Ministers to ensure that the scheme is working as effectively as possible.SPEAKER: Order! I'd prefer no comments on my performance thank you Mr Bishop."