Page 1777 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 6 June 2006
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be established so that a full range of services can be delivered under a single case management plan.
Mr Speaker, the community sector has always, and will always, play an important role in delivering vital services to people in need. Theirs is a critical partnership with government. Without the community sector, the impost on government of providing the full range of services, to such quality, would be crippling.
But just as we expect efficiency from our own agencies, there is scope for greater efficiency and effectiveness in our dealings with the community sector.
The government believes that the administrative burden on community sector organisations can be reduced through the establishment of a single interface area in the department of community services. This budget provides new funding of $300,000 for improving management and contractual arrangements with the sector. A further $100,000 a year is being provided for the establishment and maintenance of a grants portal, which will also be heavily used by the community sector.
Community safety
Mr Speaker, we are fortunate to live in a safe city, with safe streets, safe suburbs, safe homes.
This budget continues Labor’s commitment to community safety, providing funding for an additional 60 police officers. This investment will bring the number of additional police funded by this government to 120 by the end of 2008-09, giving ACT Policing greater flexibility and greater visibility and allowing them to respond better to calls by Canberra residents.
A number of other safety and security measures will also be funded, including:
• the installation of a number of extra CCTV cameras at critical transport points and sites of mass congregation; and
• the installation of CCTV cameras in ACTION buses.
Our massive investment in bushfire preparedness continues in this budget, with more than $5 million to be spent over the next four years reducing the build-up of fuel levels.
A timely boost of more than $2 million over four years has been given to the Director of Public Prosecutions for extra staff, and a further $1 million over four years will increase the capacity of the Government Solicitor and the Magistrates Court to handle the growing number of child protection cases.
Capital Works
I turn now to capital works.
This budget makes a substantial investment in building the territory’s assets, with a new
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