Page 789 - Week 03 - Thursday, 2 April 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The bill includes changes that interact with human rights across the areas of youth justice and care and protection services. These critical and proportionate amendments have been applied in the least restrictive way possible, while prioritising the best interests of children and young people and the health, safety and wellbeing of our community. I thank members of Mrs Kikkert’s office who participated in a briefing yesterday in relation to these amendments and indicated that they understood the reasons that these are necessary. They asked some very sensible questions about what this might mean for contact, and I reassured them, as I have the Assembly, that we will take the least restrictive measures and that any changes that are made in relation to matters would only be made because it was not reasonably practicable to comply with orders because of the COVID-19 emergency.
I thank members here for their support for the bill. Obviously, my office will continue to be open to any questions or briefings in relation to how these measures are being implemented as we go forward.
MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (3.29): Since January’s close of borders between Australia and parts of China, we have all been watching with awe at the changes to our world caused by COVID-19 and its health threat. I have watched in amazement at how quickly the lifestyles, freedoms and democratic practices we are used to, and have spent centuries developing, have been changed. At the home level I, as well as many others, have never lived through such enormous change and have never hugged my children and family members so preciously.
While we meet here today to make critical administrative changes, my mind is very much with my electorate and our city, the older people at home, the young adjusting to less freedom and, in particular, mums and dads thrust into full-time at home parenting, work and educating their children. I genuinely worry about how they are coping. The social change is unprecedented in my lifetime and I am very concerned about the long-term effects on the mental and emotional wellbeing of parents.
I would like to highlight, in the emergency services space, something I was informed about yesterday. At a briefing Georgeina Whelan made the statement that her staff have 24 hours in which to complete their eight-hour day when working from home. I strongly recommend that this advice be made as broadly applicable as possible and I am sure that the government would like that. But I have had some reports that that is not entirely the case and that some parents are being put under enormous pressure to work the standard work hours. So I will be very glad to see that clarified as strongly as possible.
I have at the local level seen the best in our communities coming out again. In some ways it is back to the future reality, with a focus on keeping each other buoyed up and doing the things that our grandparents did to pass the time. I have seen friendship and solidarity emerge at the suburban and regional level. People are getting to know their local and close neighbours so much better. I encourage all to look after each other and do what Canberrans do best: quietly make sure that none are left behind.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video