Page 3024 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 2013
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We are establishing the capital metro rapid transit light rail in our city, a transport system ready for future growth, one that will create investment and jobs and one that will spare us the congestion crippling other cities. Capital metro will revolutionise public transport in Canberra and provide a template for growth and transport options for years to come. It will be supported by integrated bus services, cycle paths, footpaths and complementary land uses.
City to the lake will create a world-class business, residential and entertainment precinct and finally link our lake to Civic. The development of the city plan will help determine the city’s future development and growth and ensure that projects and infrastructure are delivered efficiently and effectively.
The centenary is the right time to rethink and re-imagine how the ACT government can work in partnership with business and the community so that Canberra optimises the benefits of the digital economy. We have high education levels, connectivity and income, and a thriving ICT sector that accounts for 10 per cent of our workforce. The ACT government is working with industry leaders to capitalise on our digital opportunities and how we can become a world-leading digital city.
But while we are investing in key transformational projects for the ACT, we are doing this in a fiscally responsible way, ensuring that Canberra is a strong and dynamic city that is an inclusive and fair society with opportunities for all.
As Mr Barr noted in this chamber last week, this government is working hard to ensure that our economy performs strongly, and is doing so against a challenging global and domestic economic climate. The ACT has created 3,500 jobs and employment has risen by 1.7 per cent, recording the strongest annual employment growth of all the non-mining jurisdictions. The ACT population continues to increase, and we have a low rate of inflation.
Unfortunately, the federal election next month creates uncertainty around job security for many Canberrans, and any loss of jobs in the APS will have a knock-on effect on Canberra business and the ACT economy. Our government’s careful economic management will help ensure we have a strong economy through periods of difficulty, allowing us to assist those in need. The government has made major commitments in health, DisabilityCare and education, all investments in liveability and opportunity for the ACT.
The 2013-14 budget includes $11.2 million to support non-government school students, including students with disabilities, students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background families, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and students with a low level of English language proficiency. This is in addition to funding to implement the national school reforms, providing an extra $21.7 million in ACT government funding for government schools.
Supporting every Canberra student to achieve excellence in education is an integral part of ACT Labor’s vision for education. One example of this is the government’s commitment to move Canberra College cares, the CC cares program, into a new
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