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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (30 November) . . Page.. 3517 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

In addition, there was the launching of the ACT indigenous employment strategy, which was developed in consultation with the business, employment and training community through the employment services industry forum which included indigenous people; the establishment, separate from the government, of the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, a very important initiative in that respect as well; and continuing consultation with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, including the ACT Cultural Centre Advisory Committee and the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Consultative Council, on the development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre.

Mr Speaker, as well as reporting on what we have already achieved, the 1999-2000 implementation report also contains a number of significant commitments, including the allocation of $30,000 from the ACT heritage grants program for Aboriginal heritage projects, including the recording and interpretation of regional oral histories, stories, heritage and culture; and the announcement of the handover of the ACT Department of Health and Community Care's accommodation at Ainslie to the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service during NAIDOC Week celebrations in July of this year.

Further commitments included the development of a draft Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy framework by the ACT interdepartmental committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues; the development of strategic plans in the areas of indigenous employment, health, education, justice, housing and training which address underlying issues relevant to the Bringing them home report; the transfer of a small numbers of properties to a newly established indigenous housing project, including a grant to assist with establishment costs and quarterly funding to assist with administration of the project.

In addition, there was the resolution of the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Health and Community Care to undertake a new inquiry into the state of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in the ACT and report on strategies for improvement and the completion of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional health plan 2000-04, which forms part of the Commonwealth, ACT and ATSIC tripartite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health agreement and sets out underpinning principles, key directions and goals for government and community health providers.

There has also been the introduction of a tracking strategy for indigenous students and the introduction of improved data collection and reporting procedures for indigenous educational initiatives as well as approval of the indigenous literacy and numeracy strategy, which includes a conference for school principals and the indigenous community and establishes an indigenous teacher in the literacy and numeracy team to provide professional development for teachers of indigenous students.

Mr Speaker, there is a large amount in that program and the government is proud of its achievements in implementing the Bringing them home report recommendations. We acknowledge, of course, that there is much work yet to be done. I trust that there will be continuing interest in the ACT Assembly and in the broader community in the ways in which we can make sure that those recommendations are fully and effectively implemented in this community.

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