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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (23 June) . . Page.. 830 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

This extra funding will dramatically boost our domestic and international marketing and ensure that Canberra is better placed to position itself in what is currently a very competitive domestic market. I am also pleased to announce that $100,000 has been set aside to establish the Territory's first convention loans assistance scheme. Together with the continuation of the Feel the Power of Canberra business campaign, these initiatives demonstrate how much importance we attach to tourism as an industry that is central to our future.

Mr Speaker, it is this Government's vision to develop Canberra as a major centre for high and advanced technology research and development. We have always been an ideas city, and this is our greatest strength. But to be the clever capital, Mr Speaker, we need to have a clever government, a government that leads the way in utilising the latest communication and information systems to provide better, faster services for its citizens. To this end, this budget establishes the Territory's first Office of Information Technology and Multimedia, at a cost of $900,000. To ensure that our IT systems are year 2000 compliant, provision is made in this budget for the commencement of a major modernisation program across all areas of government. To be managed by CanDeliver, which will assume responsibility for InTACT from 1 July, it is expected that this program will require an investment of $80m in 1998-99 and, potentially, in further years, Mr Speaker.

Modernising our IT systems will also produce important benefits for the Canberra community. Mr Speaker, it will enable us to realise our aim of leading Australia by putting most ACT government transactions online by the year 2001. It will mean better services for ratepayers by allowing government bills to be paid from home or by direct debit, and greater flexibility in periodic payments. It will mean better, more efficient health care through the creation of a common patient identification system across our health services, and the establishment of a telemedicine centre in the ACT. It will mean quicker response times for ACT emergency services using improved communication and dispatch systems. And it will see the creation of electronic business networks and licensing systems that enable Canberra businesses to minimise red tape and to tap into the fastest growing market in the world - that of electronic commerce, Mr Speaker. With 50 per cent of our community already on the Internet, it is vital that the Government take a leadership role.

Mr Speaker, this Government went to the people just four months ago on its record of improving the management and accessibility of health services for all Canberrans. The promises we made back then are being honoured today as part of our commitment to maintaining the best health system in Australia. Importantly, this budget provides for an injection of new funds into the areas of greatest need in our community, including dental care, mental health, aged care services and drug rehabilitation. The $3m program to reduce waiting times for elective surgery, which began under this Government, will continue in this budget. We will also significantly expand the capacity of our cardiac surgery unit which commenced earlier this year. This year will see the start of a two-year plan to significantly upgrade Calvary Public Hospital, at a cost of more than $13m.

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