Page 2288 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 1 August 2017
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In my own portfolio, I have already announced that the development of a new carers strategy will be part of the government’s commitment to reforming community consultation and trialling new methods of engagement. The 2017-18 budget includes $200,000 for the development and implementation of an ACT carers strategy, in addition to $50,000 that was committed between the election and the budget. This work will be done with Carers ACT and democracyCo.
Every day, almost 50,000 ACT carers provide vital support to people who have a disability, experience mental illness or have a chronic health condition. The ACT carers strategy will improve support and recognition for Canberra’s carers, including young carers, older carers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers. Supporting carers and ensuring they are able to maintain their caring role while achieving their own life goals is an important part of building a stronger and more inclusive community. A critical element of this work will be designing a process to ensure that we reach those whose voices may not otherwise be heard. The community consultation will enable the government to hear the views of all stakeholders, particularly those of carers and people who receive care.
The use of engaging democracy processes demonstrates the ACT government’s commitment to strengthen community consultation processes so that diverse views are taken into account in major projects. These can be a range of measures, from participative and deliberative democracy through to kitchen table conversations and street stalls: going out there in the community and showing them what we are doing and what we are proposing, and getting their feedback.
The government’s ongoing commitment to community consultation also means looking at new and innovative ways of engaging with and providing information to the community.
In my own electorate of Kurrajong, the government has shown its clear commitment to community consultation and engagement with the Haig Park master plan process. The government understands the importance of Haig Park to the community. We want to hear how the community would like to use the park in the longer term, and for this reason have established a process to seek community input and local knowledge to help shape the Haig Park master plan.
Through this process we have had feedback from 252 people via the online survey, spoken to 62 people at three drop-in consultation sessions, received comments from 39 people participating in the online discussion board, received a further 38 email submissions, and discussed draft designs with 74 people at workshops. This community feedback on the draft design ideas is being compiled and analysed into a community engagement summary, which is expected to be available this month. This will all be used by the architects of the plan to further progress the master plan design and implementation timing.
This process has engaged people in the area and the wider city about their vision for the park. An important part of the process has been sharing of information and reporting to those participating in the consultation. We recognise that an important
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