Page 3973 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 20 September 2017
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Canberrans are also encouraged to upload a short video of themselves answering the question, “If Canberra was a carer-friendly city, what would it look like?” These videos will help to inform the deliberations undertaken by the panel and additional policy work in the future.
After the panel has had its deliberations and established the vision, outcomes and priorities, there will be further consultations around the actions required to deliver on those objectives. Further information about participating in the development of the strategy is available on the carers strategy website or from Carers ACT.
MS ORR: Minister, what are the benefits of using a deliberative democracy process to develop the carer strategy?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Orr for her supplementary question. As we all know, Canberra is a diverse community, and this is also true of the carer community. There are around 46,000 unpaid carers in the ACT providing support to family members, friends or neighbours who are living with a disability, a physical or mental health condition, or are frail and aged. Carers also provide care to children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families.
We are using this deliberative democracy process because this is a meaningful way to ensure broad consultation, encourage informed policy development through enabling a deep dive by a representative group, and capture the views of people such as young carers whose voices may not be heard through more traditional consultation methods. This deliberative approach will bring together a range of viewpoints and perspectives from carers with their diverse circumstances and experiences and from the broader community.
I believe that engaging non-carers will have two important benefits. First, it acknowledges that any one of us could become a carer at any time, and enables consideration of what that would mean for someone who does not currently have caring responsibilities. How would their life change and who and what would they turn to for support? Second, I hope that non-carers will be able to think about how their workplaces, educational institutions and community groups can practically change to better engage carers, built on a deep understanding that comes from carers sharing their own experiences in the deliberative environment. This process will enable participants to explore in depth the complex issues around best supporting carers and to make considered recommendations.
Deliberative democracy processes embrace collective decision-making and support informed discussion, supporting participants to contribute to shared outcomes and ownership of work that will have a lasting impact.
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—solids program
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development. Minister, the solids program has been operating out of the Ngunnawal
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