Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Thursday, 1 July 2004) . . Page.. 3148 ..

Leave granted.

MR QUINLAN: I have presented a direction given to the Land Development Agency under section 48 of the Planning and Land Act 2002. As you are aware, Mr Speaker, the Land Development Agency was created to provide a planning and land system that contributes to orderly and sustainable development in the ACT in accordance with sound financial principles. I am pleased to report that the operations of the Land Development Agency have continued to flourish and that an interim payment of $102 million was made to the territory in December 2003.

The purpose of this direction is to formally request a final dividend payment for 2003-04 of $15 million, which will leave the agency with sufficient working capital to fund its operations for 2004-05. The amount of the dividend payment has been agreed to between Treasury and the Land Development Agency and has been calculated with due regard for the continuing operations of the agency as is required by the legislation. I commend this instrument to the Assembly.

Coroner’s court inquest

Papers and statement by minister

MR WOOD (Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Arts and Heritage, and Acting Minister for Health) (3.28): For the information of members I present the following papers:

Coroners’ Court Inquests into manner and causes of death—Reports—Government responses—

Mr Brett Ponting, dated June 2004.

Mr Neil Summerell, dated June 2004.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the papers.

Today I table the ACT government’s response to the recommendations of the coronial inquest into the manner and cause of death of Brett Ponting and Neil Summerell. Members will be aware that the tragic deaths of Brett Ponting and Neil Summerell contributed to the establishment of a board of inquiry into disability services in the ACT.

The board found that the rights and interests of people with disabilities had not been adequately or effectively protected by the policies and systems operating in the territory. It found that the service system was not working well for people with disabilities, concluding that we could and should be doing better.

In responding to this report, the government signalled its commitment to meet the challenges through a systematic strategy. It moved quickly to progress a range of initiatives outlined in the government’s response to the board of inquiry. We have made significant progress in delivering improved disability services, working in partnership

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .