Page 4640 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Nutrition Australia also received almost $10,000 for Operation Dinnertime, which will empower veterans to prepare healthy, affordable meals while creating social support networks and building resilience through an innovative food skills program.
I am always impressed by the breadth of applications we receive in our seniors and veterans grants programs, and I am glad that the government is able to continue to support our older Canberrans and our veterans across Canberra.
Mr Barr: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
ACT Ambulance Service—SPIRE project
ACT Policing—staffing
MR GENTLEMAN: I have some additional information I wish to provide to the answer I provided to Mr Wall’s and Mrs Dunne’s questions. I am advised that neither ESA nor ACTAS have been FOIed in the terms suggested during question time. I am informed by ACTAS that the project is in the early stages of consultation, including in relation to traffic flow for ambulances in and out of the proposed SPIRE centre. These and other matters will be considered as part of the design and planning stages. All aspects around response times and patient safety will feature prominently in any of these discussions.
ACTAS staff have participated in meetings regarding the SPIRE project. ESA and ACTAS will continue to work closely with agencies, including CHS and Major Projects, that are working to deliver SPIRE. ACTAS, along with Major Projects and the Minister for Health, also attended a recent public forum regarding the SPIRE project.
In relation to FOI, I draw to the attention of Mrs Dunne section 94 of the Freedom of Information Act 2016 regarding improper influence. As I said, FOIs are handled independently and are matters for the relevant decision-maker.
In relation to a question on police numbers earlier on, I wish to add to the answer I provided to Mrs Jones and Ms Lee as well as questions I took on notice in relation to the ACT Policing headcount. I thank chamber staff for helping me check the records, including a transcript from the annual reports hearings.
The 2018-19 financial year saw an increase in the total headcount, with 927 being the headcount number. I am advised that this is the highest staff employment number since 2010-11. It is fraught to make direct comparisons to the figures in annual reports from 2010-11, and those in more recent years, as the opposition continually seeks to do.
As successive Chief Police Officers have advised Mrs Jones and her colleagues at numerous annual reports hearings, prior to 2015-16 annual reports included enabling capabilities, such as the SRG, provided by the Australian Federal Police in the headcount figure. Since 2015-16 enabling capability has been excluded from the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video