Page 495 - Week 02 - Thursday, 11 February 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
It is medically expensive to be without a home or to live in severely crowded dwellings. Chronic ear infections, respiratory infections, family violence and mental health issues are all more prevalent in overcrowded living situations. Homelessness or the risk of homelessness are also a potential risk factor for mental health issues, trauma, substance abuse and child maltreatment, amongst other things.
How much better is it—not just for the individuals who are struggling but for our community as a whole and for our overall budget bottom line—if those individuals can have continuity in shelter and support, rather than having to recover and regroup after going without. I am reminded of the old saying “A stitch in time saves nine.” It is true of climate action, health, education, housing, homelessness and more.
Repairing the land was a key election priority area for the Greens in last year’s election and we are pleased to see good progress in this year’s budget on both environment and heritage. As well as increased and reliable funding for the National Trust and for the overdue upgrade to the Heritage Council website, there is a funding allocation of $4.5 million for invasive species management, for initiatives to maintain clean catchments and clean waterways, and to employ permanent Ngunnawal rangers and incorporate cultural land and water management practices.
There are a range of funding programs to support our community and improve social inclusion measures. This budget delivers on our commitment to reduce gambling harm and helps clubs to move away from heavy reliance on gaming revenue by creating alternative income streams. It provides for a review of water costs for clubs, creates a ministerial advisory council on the sustainability of clubs, and imposes bet limits and load-up limits.
There is significant investment in health, justice and education services specifically for Indigenous people. There is funding to establish the building energy efficiency upgrade fund for community club buildings and to deliver grants and no-interest loans for energy and water efficiency upgrades and rooftop solar and batteries.
There is $100,000 of additional support for refugees and asylum seekers, with an extension of RASH—the refugee, asylum seeker and humanitarian program—to the end of 2020-21. This will meet the increased need for support resulting from the COVID pandemic.
There is support of $159,000 for frontline CV and rape crisis services, including support for new parents experiencing domestic and family violence, via a continuation of the health justice partnerships program. There is $1.4 million for a technology upgrade for the community sector, to provide them with information technology, equipment and services to help in their provision of services for people on low incomes. Importantly, we are investing $825,000 to develop and implement the concessional loans framework, including the sustainable household scheme, which will guide all government concessional loan schemes.
This is a budget that recognises, as do the Greens, that an investment in the physical and mental wellbeing of individual Canberrans is an investment in the success of our city as a whole. Additional funds have been allocated to mental health services,
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video