Page 2301 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 4 August 2021
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as I said, in multiple languages. We really work closely with community leaders as well.
MS CLAY: What is the vaccination rate for First Nation peoples in the ACT?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Again, that data is available in our weekly vaccination update, but I do not have that with me at the moment. So I will take the question on notice and come back to the chamber. I will be able to provide that information potentially directly after this.
The vaccination rate is lower for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community than it is for the rest of the community. We have been working with that community. Obviously Winnunga Nimmityjah is a vaccination centre and they can provide both AstraZeneca and now Pfizer vaccines as well. They have been doing a great job in reaching out to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to get vaccinated.
I can say the vaccination rate in the older age group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is high, so for those over 65 it is actually very high. But for those in younger age groups—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible down to the age of 16 and from next Monday will be eligible down to the age of 12—the vaccination rate is not as high as it is for the wider community. Obviously we will continue to work with Winnunga and we will continue to hold community engagement sessions.
I can advise that ACT Health has had face-to-face sessions throughout the COVID-19 response, and not necessarily specifically in relation to vaccination, with the ACTCOSS Galunga program, with Gugan Gulwan and with Yeddung Mura Good Pathways as well working very closely with Winnunga to try and increase vaccine take-up in that community.
Economy—performance
MR CAIN: My question is to the minister for business. In June, the Canberra Business Chamber revealed that Canberra has the lowest long-term business survival rate in the country, with only 62½ per cent of ACT businesses trading after five years, compared to more than 65 per cent nationally. This surely challenges the government’s goal of reaching 250,000 jobs in Canberra by 2025. Minister, why are more businesses failing in the ACT compared with the rest of the country?
MR BARR: I will take this one. The government is aware that there is a minor statistical difference between the national average and the ACT average. That is less than three percentage points. Given the total number of businesses we are talking about, it really comes down to dozens, in actual reality, in terms of the number of businesses.
I note that Mr Cain excluded from his question that we also have the most new businesses. Every month, we get an update on business entries and exits in the ACT. I can advise the Assembly that in every single month there are more business entries than there are business exits. The number of businesses in the territory continues to grow month on month.
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