Page 2944 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 16 October 2007
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Respecting diversity by protecting each other’s rights is essential if all Canberrans are to have the opportunity to reach their potential. A culture of respect and inclusion helps to overcome barriers to participation. Celebrating and fostering diversity allow us to draw on a wealth of different experiences. The ACT leads Australia in providing a systematic and comprehensive scheme for the protection of rights and fundamental freedoms. The Human Rights Act is helping to build a culture where respect for fundamental human rights becomes an integral part of how the ACT public service and the wider community go about their work. I am heartened that our pioneering efforts in building a human rights culture are now being followed by other Australian jurisdictions.
Promoting respect and diversity has also been manifest in more immediate ways. For example, the government has supported older Canberrans through the Canberra gold award, the lifetime achievement award and a range of grants to promote positive ageing, encourage older Canberrans to maintain and enhance their connections with the broader community and encourage seniors to maintain active and healthy lifestyles.
Community inclusion was furthered with the opening in December 2005 of the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, which houses six peak bodies and 23 community organisations. The centre provides a safe, supportive environment where people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can meet and access information and advocacy services and participate in programs specifically designed to assist migrants.
We are also doing much to fulfil the goal of including people with a disability in all areas of the ACT community. Students with a disability are being assisted to transition from school and college to adult life and we are improving the access of students with a disability to existing pre-vocation resources and programs. The number of people with a disability accessing individual support packages has increased, while the new local area coordinators encourage people with disabilities to become active participants in the planning of their services.
The ACT faced a setback when the commonwealth government overturned the civil union legislation passed by this Assembly, which provided for formal recognition of same-sex relationships and for their functional equality under the law. The ACT government will continue to work to ensure that the rights of same-sex couples in committed relationships are properly respected before the law.
Evidence shows that one of the best ways to maintain a cohesive, strong and safe community is through creating a climate where individuals have the opportunity to engage in satisfying, well-rewarded work and have access to lifelong learning and cultural and sporting facilities. Such societies generate the resources to sustain their social systems and services. As much as governments can support communities, it is often communities themselves that know what they need to thrive.
Efforts to improve community safety and reduce crime have been boosted with the injection of an additional $28.7 million to fund an extra 60 police officers for ACT Policing. This investment demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to addressing crime and making Canberra an even safer place than it has been.
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