Page 4490 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
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This particular report appropriately talks about the context in which Canberra, as we knew it, developed over time. It is a very important context to outline to people who may be unfamiliar with Canberra's planning processes over some years. It then moves on to talk about principles of life in 2020. It says:
The fundamental guiding principle that underlies the development of the preferred future is that Canberra can maintain and enhance the already high quality of life enjoyed by its residents.
It also outlines the fundamental elements of our society in 2020 - access and equity, rights and responsibilities of individuals, sustainability of life, and excellence in all that occurs. It moves on to talk about Canberra in the year 2020 being a prosperous, attractive, culturally vibrant, healthy and safe city; being a major regional centre as well as the national capital; a leader in terms of social justice, equity, and community participation and responsibility; and pursuing policies of minimal impact on the environment. It outlines very succinctly goals and targets for social development in terms of social assistance, education, housing, arts and culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, sport and recreation, health, law and justice; economic development in terms of industries and enterprises as well as employment; environment; physical infrastructure; urban and regional development.
It further talks about our goals for the future, both in terms of mission directed targets involving the creation of attributes which do not exist currently in 1993 or which are significant changes in existing ones and in terms of heritage targets involving the maintenance and preservation of cherished existing attributes. These are followed by specific examples of implementation principles, which - as the report states - will be the important indicators towards achieving the preferred future.
I also note the use of such terms as "communitarian values" as highlighted in the description of a goal with respect to social development, the goal being:
To create a society where communitarian values are at least as important as individual concerns.
I also enjoyed reading many of the quotes which have been contributed to this particular report by individuals and organisations which have been involved in the process. For example, a submission by David Syme from the Conflict Resolution Service, in talking about law and justice, says of 2020:
... there (is a) significant shift in how the community views conflict. Instead of conflicts being decided "according to law", the search for mutually satisfactory resolution (is) paramount. Consensual rather than adversary dispute settlement predominates.
(Extension of time granted) I thank members. Dr Alice Day from Successful Ageing, ACT, says of social development:
... structures have been put in place designed to facilitate people's caring for each other and to support individuals in all age groups who are facing disappointment or difficult transitions ... Responsibility for providing care, once primarily the domain of women, is now shared by men and the wider community.
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