Page 3792 - Week 11 - Thursday, 24 November 2022
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important role in keeping that natural amenity in the new park, and also making sure that the community has access to other types of burial. There will be potential cremation services there, as well, in different areas of the park.
We are looking forward to stage 1 progressing, which will put in place the basic amenities required, including road assess, water and other utilities to the site, as well as establishing the first spaces for the burial plots.
MR BRADDOCK: What options are currently available to Canberrans to minimise the environmental impacts of death and the funeral industry?
MR STEEL: We consulted with the community as part of a review of cemeteries and crematoria in the ACT a couple of years ago, where we put forward the range of different technological advances in that industry for discussion. Within the community there was strong support for natural burial. That is not the most popular type of burial, but it is certainly one that we are keen to have more of in the ACT. There were a range of other technologies discussed, like alkaline hydrolysis and other low-emissions forms of burials. Most Canberrans and their families choose cremation—around 70 per cent—and that does not have a significant impact on the environment. It certainly does not require us to establish large cemetery areas for those people to be rested.
Public housing—waiting list
MR PARTON: My question is to the Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services. Minister, there has been a steady increase in waiting times for both allocation and transfers in the ACT. You went to the election over two years ago promising a home for all, and the needle has not been moved—indeed, it has been moved in the wrong direction! Minister, has your policy position and has your performance as minister failed the thousands of people on the waitlist?
MS VASSAROTTI: Thank you to the Member for the question. As you point out, the ACT Greens did go to the election talking about the essential importance of a decent home for all. That is something we remain really committed to. I am really pleased to be working with the Minister for Housing in terms of responding to how we provide a decent home for all across the spectrum including providing support for people experiencing homelessness and for those who require support through the social housing program.
It is a really difficult scenario we are living in. As we have talked about in this chamber many times, the impacts of COVID were really significant in putting housing stress on a range of households including households that had not really experienced this in the past and the impact is continuing and long-lasting.
There is a range of work we have been doing to respond to the issues and provide support for people including the Growing and Renewing Public Housing program that sits with Minister Berry. This has again, as Minister Berry noted in her statement to the Assembly earlier this week, been dealing with a range of issues and constraints
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