Page 3225 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 September 1993
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I am pleased at the Government's initiative in establishing the youth link program. I still have on the notice paper a motion which seeks to address the issue of unemployment, and youth unemployment in particular. Of course, I will continue to monitor and assess whether the youth link program will bring about real change. However, I am nonetheless pleased to see the status of young people raised and their needs recognised in the budget documents.
I am also happy to see the Education Department looking more closely at its playground equipment, with a $100,000 increase allocated for funding for playground equipment. This is a good example for other government departments to emulate. The Government has copious quantities of research material and standards against which to judge the safety and adequacy of its playground equipment, as well as numerous studies which have been published in the past few years on the latest thinking in early childhood development. I would suggest that considerably more effort needs to be expended in ensuring that the Government's own attempts to provide physical recreational facilities for our children do not, at the same time, place those children at risk of injury.
I am also encouraged by the additional funding for the dog control unit. Debate following dog attacks in past months has demonstrated that the community is concerned about dog attacks. With extra resources, a prosecutions officer, and increased public profile, I am hopeful that more dog owners will act responsibly - if not because they recognise that they have been irresponsible in the past, because there is now an increased risk of prosecution and financial loss.
There are a number of other programs which I would refer to briefly. In the housing and community services area, I see providing a worker under the community services grants program to deliver support and referral services and to undertake community development in Gungahlin as a very positive initiative.
Debate interrupted.
ADJOURNMENT
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! It being 4.30 pm, I propose the question:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr Berry: I require the question to be put forthwith without debate.
Question resolved in the negative.
APPROPRIATION BILL 1993-94
Debate resumed.
MS SZUTY: Madam Speaker, some of the other initiatives I am extremely pleased to see are the extension of electricity concessions to all holders of health care cards, and the extension of the winter concession period to the months of June and November. I also note the Government's intention to examine the prospect of tip fees for all comers. I think that has been anticipated for some time and it is an initiative that the Government could well examine carefully for the future.
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