Page 3051 - Week 08 - Thursday, 15 August 2019
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Canberra gold awards. The awards recognise the unique contribution made by individuals and groups who have chosen to make a long-term commitment to the ACT. Through these awards the ACT government celebrates this dedication by honouring Canberrans who have resided or operated in the ACT for 50 years or more. More than 90 individuals and 12 community groups were recognised at a ceremony in March, earlier this year.
Finally, as I noted earlier, staff from the office for seniors are working across the government and with the community to develop an age-friendly city plan. We have acknowledged the significance of this portfolio by adding funding in 2019-20 for an additional staff member to the office for seniors and veterans to develop policy, work with community groups and help support the ACT government’s Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing, MACA. The MACA provides advice to government on how we keep Canberra inclusive through valuing and supporting the contributions and involvement of older Canberrans. Again I place on record my thanks to Fiona May, the previous Chair of MACA, and Professor Diane Gibson, the new Chair of MACA.
This suite of services and supports provided by the ACT government is testament to the high value that we place on our older citizens. We will continue to work towards building an age-friendly city where seniors are recognised and celebrated, a community that is inclusive of young and old alike, in which all people are respected, and in which all are able to contribute to our city. On the basis of all of these important initiatives, I commend this section of the appropriation bill to the Assembly.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (5.08): I rise at this moment to talk about the budget issues for the Community Services Directorate. There are a lot of different matters in this. I am starting with disability, for no particular reason. I am particularly pleased to see that the Community Services Directorate priorities include the integrated response program for people with disability and the implementation of the disability justice strategy. As the first jurisdiction to fully implement the NDIS, we have learnt that there are still people with disability falling through the gaps in service provision under the NDIS. This investment in maintaining support for disability services during the transition is a vital action to ensure that people do not get left behind.
The enhancement of the capacity of the senior practitioner and the strengthening of child development services should provide support for those who most need it and improve outcomes for children and families through coordinated, locally based services. I am very pleased to see the investment in reducing, and hopefully eliminating, the use of restrictive practices in disability, education and out of home care settings. I have met with the senior practitioner and I am confident that she will ensure that organisations are aware of what constitutes restrictive practice and what legal and other obligations they have to adhere to in their reporting obligations in this regard.
I am also pleased to see that the ACT government has agreed, in principle, to guarantee adequate funding for the children and young people’s equipment loan scheme, CAYPELS, and that the implementation of assistive technology provisions for NDIS participants will also be considered in the context of the CAYPELS service.
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