Page 1683 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 7 June 2022
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I am pleased to add that the ACT government has been working across many areas to meet the current and emerging needs of young people in Canberra that overlap and align with the recommendations highlighted in the report. As members will be aware, considerable work has been done and continues to be done to better care for and protect children and young people in the territory.
The Safe and Supportive Schools policy provides guidance to ACT public schools on promoting a safe, respectful and supportive school community. The policy articulates a range of prevention, identification and early intervention strategies to address bullying and harassment. The ACT government has committed $2.1 million over four years to provide a considered, evidenced-based approach to preventing gender-based violence through embedding gender equality in ACT public schools. An important component of this work will focus on strengthening respectful relationships and sexuality education, including consent.
In November 2021, in recognition of the unique needs of and support required by young workers, WorkSafe ACT launched its inaugural Young Workers Strategy 2021-2023. The strategy captures WorkSafe ACT’s approach to ensuring compliance with the management of work-related health and safety issues affecting young workers in the territory.
In July 2021, the ACT government took action to ban single-use plastics through the Plastic Reduction Act 2021. The first set of items banned for sale, supply and distribution in the ACT from 1 July 2021 included single-use plastic cutlery, single-use plastic stirrers and expanded polystyrene takeaway food and beverage containers. The ban has been supported by ACT businesses and community organisations and has helped to reduce our reliance on plastic.
Today I have outlined only a few initiatives that support the 18 recommendations. There are many more detailed in the report. I encourage members to read both the report and the ACT government response. Our focus will now turn to delivering on these recommendations, ensuring that we continue to respond to the various needs of young people, as well as welcoming and encouraging their participation in all aspects of community life. I wish to thank the members of the ACT Youth Advisory Council for their diligence in preparing this report. I commend the ACT Youth Assembly report and the ACT government response to the report to the Assembly.
I present the following papers:
2021 ACT Youth Assembly ‘Our voice, Our Impact’—
Report.
Government response.
Ministerial statement, 7 June 2022.
I move:
That the Assembly take note of the ministerial statement.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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