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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 4412 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

couples to access short and long-term accommodation. Currently, there is no accommodation available for homeless couples in the ACT. The CEAS initiative is one of the very good initiatives of this government.

The government is committed to helping people maintain their tenancies. An additional $80,000 will be provided to fund enhanced outreach services. Such services support people recently homeless or coming out of a crisis service as they settle into a long-term home. Experience suggests that these people are most at risk of losing tenancies in the first three months of occupation and need this extra support.

More than that, a further $1 million is being allocated to community organisations establishing new services for homeless people. All of these new services will be funded recurrently over the four years of the $13.4 million budget allocation. As establishment money for these services, the government also will be providing $70,000 for a service for single men exiting the criminal justice system, $150,000 for a single men's service, and $750,000 for five services for homeless families, including services for women with accompanying children.

We are putting our money where our mouth is. These are much needed, excellent services. I will shortly be tendering for a range of services to be funded over the next four years. They will be very significant measures as well.

Police-presence in Manuka

MR PRATT: Mr Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mr Wood. At least 14 burglaries have taken place in Manuka in the past month. A private businesswoman who has had two break-ins in the past months told the Canberra Times on 31 October 2003:

There just doesn't seem to be enough visual police-

by that she meant a presence of police-

just walking, driving past, just being there. How can it happen 14 times and there's not a policeman in sight?

As well as the spate of store break-ins in Manuka in the past couple of months, Mr Jan Szpunar, an elderly RSL poppy seller, was abducted from outside the Coles Manuka store and robbed on 3 November 2003. Minister, why have you failed to provide a visible presence in Manuka in recent months so that criminals are not able to operate with impunity?

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, Mr Pratt has proposed a solution to this-I should send those unused police horses into Manuka at night and that might solve the problem. I notice that Mr Pratt had enough sense not to ask a question about horses.

The issue that Mr Pratt raises is very valid. The aim is for police to be out and to be mobile, and I think police in cars are much better employed than police on horses in this sort of area. The burglary rate is one of concern. I will give you some figures on that, not

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