Page 1735 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 June 2021
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an important component of what becoming a national park city would mean to Canberra. I commend the motion to the Assembly.
DR PATERSON (Murrumbidgee) (4.01), in reply: I thank the Chief Minister and colleagues for supporting this important motion. It is wonderful to hear such support in the Assembly.
I would like to address a couple of points that Ms Castley made. Ms Castley suggested in the last sittings that the Canberra Liberals want the ACT to be the most small business-friendly place in Australia. She said that the Canberra Liberals understand small business and that it is the engine room and backbone of the economy. If they truly supported small business, they would be standing here supporting this motion. Small business in this city has taken a significant hit in the last year because of COVID. We need to be proactive in creating new and inspiring opportunities to support our community and support businesses.
Even yesterday, Ms Castley said in the Assembly that the Canberra Liberals believe that nature must be protected and respected. We have seen another missed opportunity by the Canberra Liberals to demonstrate this.
I would like to refer to the Chief Minster’s words when he said that Canberra is a high quality, authentic, world-class destination. I look forward to proactively campaigning for the ACT to become Australia’s first and most appropriate national park city.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Children and young people—out of home care education
MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (4.03): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that:
(a) in general, children and young people in out-of-home care experience poorer educational outcomes in comparison to the general student population, including:
(i) lower levels of literacy and numeracy;
(ii) poorer school attendance and engagement; and
(iii) reduced rates of finishing school and completing year 12;
(b) poor educational attainment is more pronounced amongst young people who exit residential care than those exiting home-based care;
(c) lower educational outcomes contribute to the fact that 50 per cent of those exiting care end up either homeless, in jail, or as new parents within 12 months;
(d) young people in custody likewise often have had poor experiences of education, including issues with poor school attendance and performance;
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