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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (29 April) . . Page.. 146 ..
MR STEFANIAK (continuing):
entitlement under the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs funded adult migrant English program. That program will cease in July 1998. It will be replaced by a program called FLEX, which will be offered by Job Network providers. Currently, anyone registered as a job seeker is also eligible for the DEETYA-funded programs.
MS TUCKER: I ask a supplementary question. I am aware of many of those programs, but a lot of people are not eligible for them - obviously, the last one - if they are not seeking a job or not entitled to some kind of support. My supplementary question - and I would like to see the material you have offered - is: Do you believe that, in fact, the measures you have just announced will accommodate the people who will lose out as a result of the Commonwealth funding cuts, that is, the 300 people there has been concern about?
MR STEFANIAK: That is a hypothetical question, Ms Tucker. Obviously, I will be monitoring that, as will my department. The nine-member Advisory Committee on Adult Language Literacy and Numeracy which the VETA board has formed will obviously be monitoring that and providing advice to government as to things we realistically can do in those areas.
MR OSBORNE: My question is to the Minister for Justice, Mr Humphries. Minister, you will be aware that in the year 2000 several Olympic soccer games will be held in Canberra and that there are also plans to have foreign athletes train here prior to the Olympics. You will also be aware that in the year 2001 it is expected that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will be held in the ACT. Given that both events have historically been the subject of terrorist attacks around the world, can you detail the plans that you are making for security at both events in the lead-up?
MR HUMPHRIES: If I could, I am not sure that I should in front of the Assembly at this point. I think it is important to put on record that plans are certainly in train to deal with these issues. Obviously, the eyes of the world will be at least partly on Canberra over those 12 to 18 months. It is extremely important, apart from making sure that the city is very presentable and we show people what a great place this planned city of ours is, that we also make sure it is a very safe place for visitors, whether they are heads of government or visitors who are coming to observe an Olympic event.
That process of ensuring that the place is secure and that security issues are well taken care of is an issue which is now being picked up by all governments concerned. Processes in train for examination of those security issues involve the Australian Federal Police, and I understand that our involvement in those processes has been very active. Of course, the Australian Federal Police, as a national policing body, will be very heavily involved in activities in Sydney as well. It has been the ACT Government's priority to make sure that in that process no resources are drawn away from the ACT. That is to ensure that we provide a secure environment here. The main action may be in Sydney, but our police force is also responsible for making sure that our city is secure and safe during that period.
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