Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 277 ..
MR QUINLAN (continuing):
Funding of $100,000 will also be provided for a marketing campaign to run over the autumn period, in response to the downturn in visitors to the territory. That is only a part-contribution. CTEC will also provide $450,000 from its own resources, and industry has already indicated it will provide $200,000 towards the campaign. We have approached the Commonwealth government already and are yet to get a positive response, but we will be approaching them again to provide a contribution towards this initiative.
Also included in the funding of the Chief Minister's Department is around $1 million to allow Bovis Lend Lease to project manage a coordinated approach to the clean-up of homes destroyed by fire. This will minimise disruption and inconvenience to Canberrans due to the movement of heavy vehicles around affected areas, ensure that hazardous waste is dealt with appropriately and assist householders in the task of identifying issues involved in site clean-up. Funding also provides for financial assistance to individuals for property clean-up.
Mr Speaker, the bill provides for initiatives that are directed at assisting businesses in the region, including $270,000 in funding to the Chief Minister's Department for business assistance grants valued at up to $3,000 for each home-based business where premises were destroyed, and $65,000 in interest subsidies to assist rural lessees and other business.
The Department of Health and Community Care is provided with $723,000 to, amongst other things, fund the additional throughput to hospitals for injuries relating to the fire, cover the cost of medical staff deployed to the Emergency Services Bureau and the evacuation centres across the ACT, and fund increased demand for mental health counselling services.
Funding of $3.422 million is provided to the Department of Urban Services to allow for a number of immediate response and clean-up activities such as:
� hazard reduction, public safety work such as creating clearings, containment lines, remediation and stabilisation;
� restoration works;
� providing appropriate waste disposal facilities, taking particular account of hazardous material; and
� increased work within Planning and Land Management relating to the reconstruction and property assessment effort.
Funding of $1.933 million is provided to the Department of Justice and Community Safety, primarily for the considerable task of immediate fire response and initial funding of the coronial inquest.
The Department of Education, Youth and Family Services is provided with $2.68 million for a number of items, including emergency assistance to individuals ($150,000), financial assistance grants for the replacement of essential household items ($2.245 million) and the running of evacuation and recovery centres ($204,000).
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .