Page 3215 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 10 November 2021
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Commissioning will enable us to consider longstanding issues for the sector, including the length of funding agreements and the full costs of service delivery. While we know that longer term funding works better—giving organisations more security, and allowing them to plan more strategically and attract and retain staff—existing procurement models have often made this difficult.
The additional funding through the 2021-22 budget, combined with our close relationships with our community partners, will help to deliver support to Canberrans who need it most. We also recognise that sector organisations themselves invest significantly in the upkeep of the human, physical and digital infrastructure of the sector. I commend sector leaders for their ongoing commitment to ensuring the health of the organisations they lead and support for the communities they serve.
The level of cooperation between the ACT government and community sector organisations throughout this difficult period has been extremely gratifying, with great goodwill demonstrated by all. I am confident that this strong partnership will continue, and we will build on the many lessons learned over this time.
In closing, I would again like to thank the community sector for the support provided to Canberrans through the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Their continued support will help individuals and the community to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The ACT government will work in partnership with the community sector into the future to continue providing this much-needed support.
I would again like to thank Mr Davis for moving his motion on 16 September, and the Assembly for endorsing it. The matters that the motion highlighted will continue to be monitored by the ACT government as we make progress on important reforms in partnership with the community sector. I present the following paper:
COVID-19 pandemic lockdown—Community sector support—Ministerial statement, 10 November 2021.
I move:
That the Assembly take note of the paper.
MR DAVIS (Brindabella) (10.47): I sincerely thank Minister Stephen-Smith, for her ministerial statement, and all members of this Assembly for unanimously supporting my motion in September, which thanked and supported the ACT’s invaluable community sector for their response during the pandemic, and particularly through the lockdown.
I would like to reflect on the enormous and effective response of the ACT community sector during our lockdown this year—providing groceries, liaising with vulnerable communities, managing accommodation and providing quarantine to people with COVID. It is clear that the ACT’s not-for-profit community sector was critical to our effective response.
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