Page 1475 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 2021
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critical moment, not only to get the terms of reference right but to cement trust that this royal commission will respond to the needs and experiences of the large and diverse defence and veteran communities. Canberra is home to a significant defence and veteran population, and I am dedicated to making sure that they have their say on these terms of reference.
Last week I held a drop-in consultation to hear from local veterans, defence members, families and others working to support veterans on what they think that the terms of reference should encompass. I thank those individuals and organisations who took the time to discuss with me their hopes for this royal commission and to share their views and perspectives. This will shape the ACT government’s input into this terms of reference consultation. I also recognise the Ministerial Advisory Council for Veterans and their Families for their advice and input to this process.
I understand that this will be a challenging time for many people, and the royal commission may bring up feelings of grief and other feelings. It will be critical that awareness, availability and accessibility of supports and services be at the forefront of this royal commission and I am committed to working with our federal counterparts to this end.
This royal commission, the culmination of much enduring community advocacy, is not an end in itself. By working in concert with the National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention and leveraging previous inquiries and findings, it is my sincere hope that this royal commission will enable people to have their voices heard where they may have felt silenced or shine a light on what many may have felt has been hidden, and will catalyse action where many have experienced stasis.
I will continue to update the Assembly on the progress of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide as needed.
ACT Health—workplace culture
MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (3.19): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) the ACT public health system has suffered from a toxic workplace culture;
(b) in September 2018, after months campaigning from the Opposition and health stakeholders, the ACT Government committed to an independent review of the workplace culture in health;
(c) the Independent Review into the Workplace Culture within ACT Public Health Services (“the review”) was completed on 5 March 2019; and
(d) in the 800 days since the review, just five of the 20 recommendations have been completed;
(2) further notes the review found:
(a) inappropriate behaviours, bullying and harassment in the workplace;
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