Page 1636 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 June 2021

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As for the rest of the remarks, I have flagged issues with the commonwealth because the commonwealth, in failing to provide any money in the budget, has left the gaping hole that Ms Lee is now saying that the ACT government has to fill.

Mrs Jones: No, certainly not.

MR RATTENBURY: That is the answer. In saying that there is a funding gap and the commonwealth government did not put in the money that they put in last year—

Mrs Jones: What certainty is there currently with the ACT funding?

MR RATTENBURY: Mrs Jones is intervening and showing that she does not actually understand. The key issue facing Canberra Community Law is that they are saying they will lose staff on 30 June because the money that the commonwealth provided to them last year is no longer available. That is the issue here. The ACT government is being asked to fill that gap. That is what Ms Lee’s motion does. That is actually what is going on here.

We are looking to do that. We are looking to find ways to fill that gap because we know that these organisations provide really vital services. But the commonwealth has just buck-passed it to us. We will try and address that, but we have a budget process to go through. That is what is going on. We will do our best, and we will give these organisations an answer as soon as we can. But that is the reality of what is happening here.

Question put:

That Ms Lee’s amendment to Mr Rattenbury’s proposed amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Amendment negatived.

Mr Rattenbury’s amendment agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

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