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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 5 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1741 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

In the area of aged care, the $100,000 for a hotline and education to tackle elder abuse is a welcome initiative. In June last year I introduced and received support for a motion calling for action on elder abuse and I am pleased that that motion has now turned into action in this year's budget. Similarly, an Assembly motion highlighting the urgent need for mental health outreach workers was successful earlier this year. The expanded community teams in Woden and Tuggeranong and the expansion of mental health outreach workers in Gungahlin are excellent initiatives and recognition of the unmet need in this area.

I am also extremely pleased to see that youth workers are being supported in every government high school. The Youth Coalition and ACTCOSS are just two groups who have been instrumental in lobbying for this reform.

In regard to the vibrancy of Belconnen and section 187, I would like to make the point that through questions to the government I have joined with the Belconnen Community Council, the Belconnen Cultural Planning Group and the Belconnen Community Service in calling on the Stanhope government to commit land and support a cultural centre in Belconnen on the edge of Lake Ginninderra. I welcome the $60,000 for a feasibility study. I do understand it is taking time, but the Stanhope government is realising that the people of Belconnen want a vibrant arts and cultural centre. This is a win for the Belconnen community and the people of Ginninderra but what is now needed is a commitment to fund such a centre, and I hope that that money will be available in next year's budget.

Another healthy and sustainable initiative is the $202,000 travel behaviour change program. This does not start until next year, and it is not quite the $507,000 it would cost to roll out "The Way To Go"program across Canberra, as was suggested in a motion I put forward last September. However, this is again an acknowledgment that the program is worthy of support. I challenge the government to find more funding in next year's budget and I am happy to help them identify savings on road construction to fund this worthwhile program.

Having given credit where credit is due, I will now return to what was sadly lacking in this year's budget. The Women's Electoral Lobby, Toora and the ACT Democrats have all announced their disappointment that there is no new money in this budget to implement the recommendations of the Chief Minister's women and violence inquiry or the Assembly's status of women inquiry.

In the area of health, despite funding for an additional breast cancer nurse, the government has not increased its target for breast screenings next financial year and estimates it will be 1,300 breast screenings short of target this year.

In the area of women's sport there is still no parity of support. $180,000 has been allocated to women's elite sporting teams, yet more than three times this amount has been given to men's elite sporting teams.

Sadly, another budget has come and gone without funding for outreach workers for women with mental health and other complex needs. Such a service would help prevent

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