Page 2066 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994
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Before that, in some circumstances, there was not a great deal of difference. Though we might have charged 100 per cent, it was not necessarily 100 per cent of very much. I do not know that increasing the 50 per cent to 100 per cent, or some figure between 50 and 100 per cent, would achieve what Mr Moore says. We are actively encouraging residential development in some parts of Canberra. As I announced last year, we did not increase the figure on a change to higher density residential to 100 per cent, as an encouragement for urban renewal. We still have that policy. I think it is entirely appropriate that we hold to that. I am certainly not proposing any variation to the betterment regime, although, of course, we monitor it closely at all times.
Senior Citizens
MR KAINE: Chief Minister, in your budget speech on Tuesday you said:
As in earlier years, I have met, and had useful discussions with, key organisations and received written submissions from others. In formulating this budget, careful consideration has been given to all the views expressed to the Government.
Amongst the written submissions that you received was a most comprehensive one from the ACT Council on the Ageing, one which generally restated the increasing need for services and facilities many times identified as being required by our ageing, and not least in two comprehensive reports from Assembly committees. In fact, the list is seven pages long. How is it that after all of that your sole recognition of the needs of the ageing is a mere $300,000 increment to the already niggardly funding for the HACC program? Do you consider the needs of our older citizens as trivial?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, the budget in fact contained quite a number of initiatives that will be of benefit to older citizens in the Territory. Mr Kaine has referred to the increased funding for the home and community care program. In providing supplementary funds to that program, we will be enabling them to meet an increase in demand for their services. In fact, the full figure there is $580,000 for 1994-95. Other initiatives in the budget, Madam Speaker, include the training program for carers of the aged, which Mr Kaine has overlooked. That will be developed and implemented to provide people who are caring for the aged in the ACT with an appropriate level of training. We have provided those funds in order to establish a training program. I believe that this is the beginning of what will be an effective program, and a very much needed one as well.
I know that members have drawn attention to the need of older people, particularly, in our community to feel that they are safe in their own community, and that they should not be restricted in their lifestyle by a fear of crime. One of the things we have done in this budget is to provide further funding for the integrated community safety strategy. I know that this is something that is appreciated by older citizens because that strategy does aim to reduce crime and to create a safer environment for everyone in our community. Some of the initiatives within that integrated community safety strategy
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