Page 17 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 2018
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Right now the government is about halfway through the rollout of 15,000 Chromebooks this year—improving equity, helping Canberra kids learn with the latest technology and easing the expectation on teachers to be experts on every device. This is nation-leading. Other states are following Canberra’s lead, and I have no doubt that a few years down the track we will start to see amazing young students emerge on the back of this investment.
I would also like to emphasise the work I will continue to progress around inclusion and support for all students in ACT schools. In particular, this will include full implementation of the schools for all program, continuing with our commitments to support mental health for young people and making sure that every school is a safe school for young LGBTIQ students, their friends, families and school communities. Australia has demanded equality for LGBTI community and this includes young people. The government will proudly continue to provide the safe and inclusive schools program.
In early childhood education and care, last week brought disappointment as the federal government again fell short of its obligation to join states and territories as a partner to long-term, universal access to preschool. The bookshelves are straining under the weight of evidence of how important this access is for young children, particularly those from poor or disadvantaged circumstances. It is as important as school education—in many ways more so. That is why, with the help of my ministerial advisory group, the ACT will work to keep pressure up for long-term commitment at the national level and also make every effort we can locally to extend the reach of quality preschool education.
This year will also see the release of the government’s next housing strategy. Again, my approach to this work has been to empower the people who live and breathe these issues each day to help guide the policy process in government, and this is what has happened. The government facilitated a long period of outreach and consultation last year, culminating in the housing and homelessness summit in October.
The next step in this process will be the release of a full and detailed communique reflecting the community’s input. Currently, with the housing advisory group, this document will present an extensive list of policy options. Not all will be right for the ACT, but I will welcome any constructive involvement from across this chamber as we look at these options.
We will then face the challenge of assessing a long list of ideas and crunching the numbers around what will be possible and effective with the level of influence that the ACT government has over our housing market. I have also begun conversations with my ministerial colleagues around which there are shared responsibilities in the housing response and I look forward to working together in bringing this strategy together.
In greenfield development, 2018 will see the delivery of the first year of public, affordable and community housing targets through the Suburban Land Agency. I will bring key arms of the government together to set new targets heading into 2019.
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