Page 3252 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
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money and now proposes to transfer the residual funds and responsibility to the States and Territories. This will need to be taken into account in the redesign of ACT housing strategies. I understand that discussions are soon to start between Commonwealth and ACT officials.
This year's budget increases the ACT contribution to the supported accommodation program by $326,000, which will mean that, together with a matching Commonwealth fund, some $679,000 will be available for new refuges in the ACT. In addition to this, the Government has resolved the problem surrounding the second domestic violence crisis service for single women survivors. We have funded this service from outside the supported accommodation assistance program and, in addition to the matching funds of that program, $200,000 is being provided this financial year as recurrent funding for the service. The Leader of the Opposition should hang her head in shame to hear this news.
The 1990-91 budget therefore makes advances in the provision of housing assistance. In November, all Commonwealth and State Ministers will be attending a Ministerial Council in Canberra, which I have agreed to co-host with Brian Howe, to discuss the development of a national housing strategy which will guide the further development of our housing policies.
The capital side of the ACT budget has not been neglected. The budget strikes an appropriate balance between capital and recurrent expenditure. In my portfolio we have confirmed the Tuggeranong community centre and will proceed with capital expenditure estimated at $750,000. I have already mentioned the $1.4m attendance centre at Belconnen and the $546,000 to be spent on new cells at the Remand Centre.
The Government has allocated $1.1m to redevelop the Lollipop centre at Woden, and $461,000 will be spent on upgrading a range of existing community facilities. The parliamentary zone child-care centre will proceed, as will the new Calwell neighbourhood centre. As well, design funds are available to commence the design of the Civic community centre. These new child-care services and other community services complement our programs for occasional care, on which we expect to spend $1.1m in 1991. Another small but important initiative is the provision within the budget for a special needs child-care worker to integrate children with special needs into our existing network of services.
I am indebted to the efforts of my colleague, Carmel Maher, for pressing this issue and assisting me with the initiatives in the child-care area. This is another example of how the budget announcements provide significant progress in advancing the rights of people with disabilities and in improving the delivery of services. The creation of an office of the Human Rights Commission, the new system of guardianship and the community advocate
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