Page 120 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 28 November 2012

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I, as the Minister for Education and Training, will receive an interim report from the Taskforce in December 2012. The final report is anticipated to be complete by June 2013 and will include:

a list of recommendations and/or options around learning difficulties for me to consider

an evaluation of the current level of available support for teachers

examination of the current level of school-parent engagement and communication including the level of support available for parents

assessment of advances in teaching and learning with regard to learning difficulties

evaluation of standing research literature and best-practice evidence.

The work will be furthered through a National Partnerships initiative on collecting nationally consistent data for students with a disability.

Cost of living pressures

MR SESELJA (Brindabella—Leader of the Opposition) (10.02): I move the following motion in relation to the outrageous cost of living pressures on Canberra families:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) the increasing cost of living pressures on Canberra families;

(b) that the 2012-13 Budget Cost of Living Statement documented an average increase in ACT Government rates and charges on Canberra families to more than $9 000;

(c) that the Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement does not act to reduce the cost of living pressures on all Canberra families;

(d) the Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement will result in significant cost increases for Canberra families through the 90% Renewable Energy Target; and

(e) that ACT Labor’s tax changes will increase cost of living pressures through massively increasing property rates by shifting $350 million per annum in foregone revenue in today’s dollars on to rates, amounting to an average increase of $2 500 per household; and

(2) calls on the Government to outline how it will lower cost of living pressures on Canberra families.

There is no doubt that the ever-increasing cost of living is one of the critical issues facing the people of Canberra, certainly the people in my electorate of Brindabella but also across the board in Molonglo and Ginninderra. It is being felt, it must be said,


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