Page 17 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 9 February 2016
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Similarly, Minister Gentleman is developing a package of legislative amendments to the territory plan variation and development assessment processes that will result in significantly cutting red tape holding up worthy developments and stymieing construction jobs growth.
Minister Corbell and Minister Berry are continuing to lead work across government in reducing the scourge of domestic violence in our community. An upcoming Domestic and Family Violence Bill will strengthen support and protections for victims and give police new tools to prevent and stop violence in the home. Our response in this area is continuing on numerous fronts—from working nationally through women’s safety ministers to helping service providers working on the ground, day in and day out.
Minister Berry is also leading the government’s social inclusion goals, particularly focusing on refugee groups who have been so important to the city’s fabric and for whom we have again just this week expressed our support. Minister Berry will also be working with those Canberrans in need of housing support or other community services; working and focusing on the great diversity of people in our local LGBTIQ communities; and at harnessing the amazing power of sport to cross boundaries, to foster inclusion and to build our community.
As we have previously agreed with the commonwealth, we will be bringing forward legislative components to implement a national injury insurance scheme for catastrophically injured workers by 1 July 2016. This will extend the ACT’s lifetime care and support scheme to provide for the ongoing treatment and care of eligible participants for their lifetime.
We are commencing community consultation on the role of an oversight body to respond to the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Under these proposed changes, an oversight body will receive all cases of reportable conduct and have the necessary oversight and investigation powers to deal with any allegations against people who provide services involving children. This is an important step that we can take to stamp out institutional abuse of children here. I want to thank ACT Australian Local Hero, Damian De Marco, for his advocacy for children in this area.
I also look forward to debates in this place this year on what we want Canberra to be and what Canberrans value. Our well-informed and engaged community expects this place, their elected members, to be involved in the wider social and economic issues facing our nation, to make sure that Canberrans’ voices are heard whether that be the debate on marriage equality, debates on an Australian head of state, debate on penalty rates for low-paid workers, on tax reform and perhaps most importantly the issues facing the nation now on an appropriate level of federal health and education funding.
Canberrans want to know that their government and their Assembly are working for them and debating the issues that they want to know about. Let me say this, Madam Speaker: every member of this government will happily debate and vote on these important issues. Our position will be crystal clear. My government has a long-term plan for Canberra and we have got the experience, the passion and the commitment to deliver that plan to make sure that Canberra keeps getting better.
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