Page 2942 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 16 October 2007
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maintain a basic standard of living. The government’s implementation of the social plan has done much to address this issue and has made some very important differences to the lives of both families and individuals. We do not intend to stop now. We will continue to act unilaterally, as well as engaging with the commonwealth, to come up with better ways of responding to the root causes of poverty.
The causes of poverty and its impact are the result of a complex interplay between the individuals involved and their circumstances and, more importantly, between the commonwealth and state jurisdictions. Reports such as those issued yesterday make it clear that we all need to do better, that at both the territory and commonwealth level we need to become more proactive in addressing the needs of those experiencing disadvantage. In the midst of a federal election campaign, this is as good a time as any in which to re-energise the debate about how to do that and whether our help should be coercive in nature or whether it should predominately take the form of encouragement and facilitation.
This progress report on the implementation of Building our community: the Canberra social plan is the second in 3½ years, and follows the September 2005 release of Getting on with the job. Together, the two reports fulfil our commitment to report on a biennial basis on the social plan’s progress.
It is often said that demography is destiny. Any long-term plan, particularly one focused on the community, cannot ignore change. ACT workforce participation rates for women are the highest in the country—around 69 per cent, compared with 57 per cent nationally. This gives rise to a strong demand for childcare and other family support services, and this demand is likely to grow.
Canberrans have the highest level of educational attainment in Australia, with almost 59 per cent of territorians having a post-school qualification, compared to 51 per cent of all Australians. Maintaining our educational edge will be critical to the future of the ACT economy, with its insatiable demand for highly skilled and well-trained people. This in turn is contingent upon a strong primary and secondary educational system which develops well-educated young people committed to further study. The ACT has the best education system in the country; our college system, with its model of continuous assessment, serves our students well as they move beyond school into further education or the workforce. With growing health expenditure across the country, the challenge for the ACT will be to make the most effective use of its resources, building upon its strengths and targeting its weaknesses.
It is evident that there are emerging demographic pressures that the ACT government needs to address if it is to fulfil the vision of the social plan. It remains a disturbing fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the most disadvantaged group in Australia. In fulfilling the objectives of the Canberra social plan and reducing poverty and social exclusion, the ACT government must pay particular regard to Indigenous Canberrans. Steps are being taken to establish an elected Indigenous body to fill the gap created by the federal government’s abolition of ATSIC and funding has been provided for a new integrated service delivery initiative for Indigenous families and children at risk.
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