Page 286 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 December 2004
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review the Residential Tenancies Act and the public rental housing assistance program, as well as maintain the debt review committee.
Homelessness is a problem that afflicts even relatively prosperous communities, such as the ACT. The government will continue to address homelessness through the allocation of $57 million over the next four years, including $3.2 million targeted at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander homelessness and $40.8 million for the SAAP program, which is the supported accommodation assistance program; the continued implementation of the ACT homelessness strategy, including a separate process for youth homelessness; and further development of the boarding house program.
With regard to community services, the government will work with community service delivery organisations so that they are able to pay their staff at SACS award rates, including provision for safety net increases.
The government believes that people with disabilities must have a valued and productive role in our community, and we have been working to achieve that. We have implemented approximately three-quarters of the recommendations of the report of the board of inquiry into disability, with the remainder currently being addressed.
Building on the massive funding boost of $21 million in our first term, in its second term the government will provide $5.6 million to reduce long-term waiting lists, by replicating the services offered by Sharing Places; it will provide more support for young carers and examine other housing models.
With regard to the disability reform process and ongoing work and commitments, the government will maintain its commitment to implement the remaining agreed recommendations of the Gallop report; drive ongoing reform through the action document Future directions for disability ACT 2004-2008; respond to the Disability Advisory Council’s biennial scorecard for people in the ACT in meeting Challenge 2014; increase resources to transition stages in peoples’ lives; encourage, on a whole-of-government basis, the employment of more people with disabilities; continue to provide special needs support to clients with complex and threatening behaviours; continue funding the local area coordination model; continue the progressive implementation of person-centred planning; continue to build capacity in the non-government sector by involving NGOs in the running of more group houses, supported by an information campaign to families; and continue to fund innovation grants and the LINC project, subject to the success of a pilot.
The government recognises the need to do more for children with highly complex needs, particularly those with autism. To help these children and their parents and carers we will provide $4 million—$1 million each year for four years—to help meet current pressures and the demands of the future; fund a pilot program for Therapy ACT staff exchanges, or scholarships, with overseas best practice facilities, particularly in autism; and continue to develop Therapy ACT’s multidisciplinary assessment team program.
Part of being proud of and happy in our city is knowing we are safe in our own homes, that our children can play at the local park without fear of crimes being committed against them and that assistance is there if a crises emerges. It is our emergency services,
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