Page 3145 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 20 August 2019
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from 2019 to 2028. These priorities are a 10-year initiative that will help to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the ACT. They build on the extensive work already underway, including the $12 million commitment to Winnunga Nimmityjah’s new building to deliver community-owned, community-led, Aboriginal community-controlled health services in our city in a brand-new, purpose-built facility.
In addition, the 2019-20 budget included $300,000 towards a scoping exercise for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residential rehabilitation service. Again, this funding will support work with Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services to co-design a culturally appropriate residential rehabilitation service that meets the needs of the local community.
Responding to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-driven report We Don’t Shoot Our Wounded, the ACT government will invest $354,000 from the safer families levy to deliver specialised programs for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
In recognition of the unacceptable numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved in the justice system, we will help detainees on to new pathways after a custodial sentence. This year’s budget further invests $5.9 million in a justice housing program that will provide accommodation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans to make sure bail granted by the courts is safe and sustainable.
The ACT government will continue to partner with Winnunga Nimmityjah to extend Yarrabi Bamirr, an intensive family-centric support program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, to prevent or delay contact with the justice system. The Warrumbul circle sentencing court will also continue, with operational funding in this year’s budget, to enable young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders to access culturally appropriate sentencing options.
I am excited about the work the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development is doing on a new early childhood strategy for the ACT. The strategy includes a program of transition into free, universal access for three-year-olds to quality early childhood education and care. This initiative will commence in 2020 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander three-year-olds.
Delivering on our commitment under the agreement to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business and innovation and to foster cultural integrity, the ACT government is looking forward to supporting cultural tourism measures. A new investment will support a feasibility study for an Aboriginal tourism and culture precinct at the cultural centre.
These initiatives build on the government’s recent investments to build stronger families and a more connected community. This work includes restoring Boomanulla Oval, as I have mentioned, as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and sports facility. As part of our commitment to return Boomanulla Oval to community control, we are embarking on a project on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led governance in the ACT. This work, instigated by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
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