Page 2603 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 August 2019
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inroads, however, into ensuring that Canberrans are more connected and can access a public transport network that is more frequent and has more services.
MR GUPTA: Minister, how does the journey planner make it even easier for people to plan their public transport trip?
MR STEEL: I thank Mr Gupta for the supplementary. The new Transport Canberra journey planner that was rolled out with the new network has been a huge success, with one million people planning their journeys online with the planner. I have used the planner myself to get around.
During the consultation period on the new public transport network, Canberrans told us that they wanted easier access to trip-planning tools that would help them plan their journey quickly and on the go. As part of the network changes, Transport Canberra delivered a new journey planner that allows Canberrans to plan their journey in the comfort of their own home or on the go while they are out and about using our public transport system. It is designed to ensure that people have a better, more connected experience and to ensure that parts of our integrated public transport network can be accessed. Commuters can choose from multiple journey modes including bus, light rail, bicycles and walking or certain modes of transit that they prefer. This information is all available on the journey planner website. I urge all Canberrans to get involved and use the planning tool to make sure that they can get around.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, when will you update the real-time bus information to actually be real time? I do not know what it is at present, but as a practical user I can tell you it is not real time.
MR STEEL: I am happy to take that question on notice.
Children and young people—foster care
MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the Minister for Children, Youth and Families. Minister, how many Canberra children are currently on a waiting list for a stable foster care placement?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mrs Kikkert for the question, but I am not sure that it really reflects the way that foster care placements work. When children come into care, my understanding is that currently no children come straight into residential care prior to being placed in a family placement unless there is a particular reason for that young person to come into residential care. This is different from the way it works in some other jurisdictions.
When emergency action is taken and a young person is removed at short notice from their birth family, they will go into what is called an emergency placement. But that does not necessarily mean that they are going to be waiting for a permanent foster care placement. That may be a short-term placement before they are restored home to their family, if that is the appropriate course of action if supports can be put in place for the family, or they may transition to another foster care placement. But describing
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