Page 3676 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 20 October 1993
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I think Mr Berry's interjection before really shows this. It does not look at the areas of the results that really are of concern to all of us in Canberra. He looks only at the bits that he likes. Obviously, this Government seems to suffer from a selective deafness on many issues, and we see it all the time - issues such as the hospice, Acton Peninsula, petrol taxes, diesel fuel and education. We saw the education issue this morning. More and more Canberrans each day realise that this sort of approach to community consultation is an exceedingly hollow approach.
Mr Berry: Spend more, spend more!
MRS CARNELL: No, Mr Berry; what I am saying is spend less this time. I am saying that if you are going to have a survey, if you are going to consult the public, and if you are going to spend public money on it, Mr Berry, use the results; otherwise you may as well save your money and not do it.
MS SZUTY (3.46): The 1993 householder survey has been a success in one way, in that the response rate from Canberrans has risen by 75 per cent over the 1991 survey. The sample size is, therefore, much more representative of the Canberra community as a whole, with some 34,107 households responding out of over 102,000 surveyed. I found the format more user friendly than that used in 1991, which possibly accounted for part of the increase in the response rate received. It is of no benefit, in a voluntary survey, to have detailed information gathered if the questionnaire is not easily read, simply completed and easily returned - criteria that this year's survey obviously fulfilled. The exercise obviously also was beneficial to residents. The response rate reflects the fact that householders found the topics covered to be ones they had views on and were prepared to comment on. The range of topics also expanded in this survey from seven to 11 questions - a fact which was probably appreciated by respondents.
One issue I would like to take up arising from the 1991 survey is the proportion of ratepayers and Housing Trust tenants who stated that they thought it would be a good idea to carry out such an exercise on an annual basis. Some 75 per cent of the initial survey respondents felt that having a say on government services and community needs each year would be welcome. I encourage the Government to adopt this idea and to look at ways to make this survey an annual event. After all, the Government has stated that it found that the information received is useful for agencies and is being used in the development of 1993-94 management plans. I am aware that the exercise costs money; however, there may be more cost-effective ways of conducting the survey. Including the survey in other regular mail to residents, such as rates accounts, could improve efficiency.
I would like to turn now to an issue which I believe could be taken up in the next householder survey, and that is the extent to which householders are volunteers in our community. I believe that this is an important question to address. Volunteers are involved in a great many community activities, including community groups, committees and councils, management committees, sporting associations, arts and park care groups, residents associations, P and C associations, school boards and Neighbourhood Watch organisations, to say nothing of interest and hobby groups. We also know that the demand on the work of volunteers in our community is always growing. Information based on the extent of voluntaryism in our community would inform the Government about what is being done already and what realistically could be done in the future to cater for growing demand.
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