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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Thursday, 24 June 2004) . . Page.. 2639 ..

activity and economic development, jobs, prosperity and a high quality of built environment for all Canberrans to enjoy.

The central Canberra implementation program, or Canberra central as it will now be known, will build from this work, identifying opportunities for public/private partnerships, capital works improvement projects, cultural and event programs and other initiatives that will help to revitalise and bring the heart back into Civic. The government has already invested $1½ million in the 2003-04 budget to be invested over the next three years in this program. This money is to run the program itself and to cover administrative costs, feasibility assessments, forward planning and design, with $350,000 expected to be expended in the 2004-05 financial year.

I am pleased to say that already there has been a range of meetings between key stakeholders, including the NCA, the Australian National University and industry, to develop the objectives and the scope of the program. A clear management structure that engages key stakeholders has been established and will focus on issues such as access, events and marketing, governance, environmental leadership, land release, place management and investment.

The authority has employed a project director for the program and is setting up an implementation team. I am very pleased to advise members that Mr Magdy Youssef has been engaged as programs director. He has excellent credentials for this task. He has completed similar programs in Melbourne city, Wollongong, Maroochydore and the Tweed Shire and has won a range of urban design awards. He is a qualified architect and a planner and has a strong background in project and capital works delivery, as well as marketing and engagement with the business sector. His appointment has been warmly welcomed by the business and industry sector in the ACT. His skills will help us to lead the upgrading and revitalisation of Canberra city, and we are very fortunate to have a person of his ability heading up this project.

A cross-agency task force, consisting of chief executives, has been established. The first meeting will be held on 17 June this year. The second meeting is scheduled in July to discuss key priorities. The government is well on the way to its Canberra central program, something which is instrumental in making Canberra central a place to live, work, play and invest and is central to the government’s objectives, through its economic white paper and the spatial plan, in particular, but also the social plan in terms of social choice and housing diversity. I commend to members this very important piece of work.

Child protection

MR CORNWELL: My question is to the Minister for Children, Youth and Family Support, Ms Gallagher. “Family support” is a bit of a bit of a misnomer, but never mind. The Vardon report states that Ms Gwenn Murray will present the report of the audit and case review to the Chief Minister by the end of May. This report outlines the extent of the government’s failure to protect vulnerable children. As yet, the government has not released this report. When will it be released so that we may make an assessment of how badly vulnerable children in this territory have been failed?

MS GALLAGHER: If you had read the estimates committee’s report you would have noticed a letter from the commissioner, which has been incorporated in the estimates

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