Page 326 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 20 February 1990
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assigning priorities will be easier and more effective. In the long term the Alliance Government will seek to encourage the business community to adopt the goals of social equity. It also is part of the community and as the current practices of offering discounts to disadvantaged groups shows, social equity is consistent with profitability in business.
An important part of any successful strategy to achieve social equity is to have a clear vision of the goals to which we are aiming. Without this we can expect to either miss the goal or achieve something entirely different. I would like to take some time to outline a few of the goals or outcomes that would be expected from a successful strategy.
In an equitable community no member is disadvantaged by their circumstances. The disadvantaged, the poor, the needy, should always have access to essential services which are provided by the community. Further, it is basic that every member of the community should have equal rights before the law in employment and under government and private procedures.
Another clear objective of social equity strategy is to produce more effective outcomes of government services and a better priority setting framework to provide a match between what the community needs and the resources allocated to the services. A subset of this is an improvement in the structures and processes of community participation and government in the ACT.
Lastly, an important goal is to move social equity from being solely a government initiative to one embracing all the community, including the business sector. It is crucial to the Alliance Government's vision that government, business and community work hand in hand.
Knowing where we are heading is one aspect, but how equitable is the ACT community at present? Information from the 1986 census casts some light on the situation. In 1986 there were about 64,000 families in the ACT, with some 4,000 living below the poverty line. It is estimated that overall there are about 6,800 householders living below the poverty line, nearly 9 per cent of community households. At any one time 21,600 residents are reported to be disabled, ill or frail.
The situation of single parents provides one of the clearest examples of inequity in our community. Of the estimated 6,000 single parents in the ACT in 1986, 2,000 were below the poverty line and only 60 per cent were employed in any way. These statistics, while highlighting the need for a social equity strategy, also provide an example of another crucial component. For success we need to develop social indicators and a more detailed knowledge of the make-up of our community. This Alliance Government is committed to working towards developing an equitable society in the ACT.
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