Page 1026 - Week 04 - Thursday, 18 June 1992
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The Streetlink program has been expanded to include an employment focus. Negotiations are currently under way with the Commonwealth to co-locate Streetlink in Belconnen with a youth access centre. A site has been identified and a shopfront will open in the near future.
We have launched the innovative venture and development assistance program, which will provide a range of assistance to young people and youth organisations to increase skills and create jobs. The program will provide grants to young people for skill development outside the mainstream education and training system and to assist with the establishment of their own businesses or ongoing employment. In addition, grants are available to incorporated community organisations to provide skill or personal development programs.
We have provided an extra 57 places in TAFE courses for school leavers and alternative courses of study, including at TAFE, for those who enrolled to repeat year 12 in 1992, in order to better meet young people's career aspirations. We have increased the commitment to traineeships in the ACT Government Service. The tradeswomen on the move program, which is targeted at young women entering the non-traditional apprenticeships, has also been expanded. Under the employment and training grants program, over $500,000 has been provided to community organisations to enhance the employment and training options of individuals in the ACT. Of this, $110,000 was allocated to programs which were youth specific. The Government has also provided increases for the fares assistance scheme and the workers compensation rebate scheme, both of which assist youth with their entrance to the work force.
As well as these initiatives, the Government has taken steps to add to the overall availability of jobs. Earlier this year we announced an acceleration of the capital works program. This program, totalling $35m, supports some 330 jobs and has been an important stimulus to the construction industry. In the budget strategy statement earlier this week the Chief Minister referred to the proposed 1992-93 capital works expenditure of $147.2m as the maximum affordable. The Government is very aware of the importance of the building and construction industry to Canberra's economy generally and in the provision of jobs. We recognise the high multiplier effect of this industry in supporting jobs in other sectors. We are particularly pleased, therefore, to propose a 1992-93 capital works increase of some $17m, or 13 per cent, compared to this year.
The Government has also approved the development of the casino. The construction phase over approximately two years involves expenditure of $31m and will lead to the creation of 280 new jobs. The operation of the casino itself will create an estimated 500 new jobs, many of which will go to our youth. I note that Casino Canberra Ltd has recently commenced training for its croupier positions. Members may also be aware of a number of other developments in the tourism industry which will bring about a significant number of long-term, sustainable jobs for young people. These developments include the innovative and exciting Chinatown proposal for Woolley Street, Dickson and the Gold Creek tourist resort.
We have all been heartened to see occupancy rates in the tourism industry rising steadily during 1992. Rising occupancy rates will result in additional jobs in accommodation houses and attractions. The tourism industry fared rather badly during 1991, and it is good to see that this trend has been reversed. As the Chief Minister has remarked in this house before, the tourism industry provides
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