Page 3045 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 2013
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Mr Gentleman talked about the targeted assistance scheme. In particular, he talked about the no-interest loans program, which is targeted to helping low and middle income families in crisis and who need help, and that is what this government is about—it is about helping people. He also talked about the increase in the secondary bursary scheme from $500 to $750, helping families keep their kids going to school, supporting education for those most in need.
Ms Porter focused on the benefits this government is delivering to our electorate of Ginninderra. She talked about upgrades to schools—Macgregor primary, Mount Rogers and Canberra High School, all receiving works to upgrade the facilities available for the students.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Stop the clock, please, while the Deputy Speaker takes the chair.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Sorry, Dr Bourke. I think we can resume the clock now. Thank you.
DR BOURKE: You are okay, Madam Deputy Speaker?
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am fine, thank you very much. Sorry for the drama. I will try not to fall over again!
DR BOURKE: Well, I shall keep on talking about you then. In our electorate of Ginninderra Ms Porter was talking about upgrades to schools at Macgregor, Mount Rogers and Canberra High School, and then she talked about the urban improvement program that is delivering better urban facilities for Canberra families through upgrading the facilities at John Knight park, as well as the $100,000 being allocated for access improvements to Emu Bank.
We then heard from Ms Burch, the education minister, talking about our schools, the best performing education system in the country, and our participation in better schools reform. We can think back a little bit to last year and the scaremongering by those opposite about this reform, putting anxiety into the hearts and minds of teachers, parents and students. It was shameful.
Ms Burch also talked about DisabilityCare Australia, the national disability insurance scheme. By 2019-20 the ACT government will have provided about $167 million to the cost of care and support for people with disability in the ACT through this scheme. This will be 49 per cent of the ACT scheme’s cost, which is consistent with the full scheme agreement reached between the commonwealth and New South Wales in December last year. By 2019-20 the commonwealth government will contribute around $175 million for ACT residents, around 51 per cent of the ACT’s scheme’s costs. In addition, the commonwealth will cover the full cost of people when they turn 65 and choose to remain in the scheme. By 2019-20 the total joint investment of the scheme in the ACT is expected to be $342 million.
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