Page 3064 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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I understand that this data is mainly obtained from the ABS, and caution should be exercised in its interpretation as the survey sample size is small and can lead to inaccuracy. I believe that the ACT government itself has found the data to be flawed and that this has led to some short-changing. Some of the ABS data is flawed and inadequate in calculating our population numbers for receipt of federal grants.
I would like to suggest that the ACT government should continue to support ACTCOSS, if that is the way it needs to be done, or take up the carriage of this project itself, so that we can update this data on a regular basis in order to acquire accurate longitudinal data on the ACT population, to see how it is faring and to direct us in where services should be targeted in the future.
Dealing with poverty is a win-win situation. It builds economic resilience in the ACT by ensuring access to a well-educated, skilled workforce through working with people to improve their lives. From the crossbench the Greens have put the issue of poverty on the Assembly’s agenda. Kerrie Tucker’s work is on the record, and in the last two years I have moved two motions in the Assembly specifically focused on poverty, both of which were supported. The first examined the link between employment and poverty; the second examined the provision of ACT government concessions to the community.
The government supported both these motions, and I know that follow-up action is occurring. I gather that the Community Inclusion Board has begun an investigation into ways to assist the long-term unemployed to give them the opportunity to move out of poverty. I look forward to that report. I note that the government’s concessions policy is currently undergoing public consultation. I look forward to seeing the results of that. Ensuring that concessions are well targeted and providing horizontal and vertical equity is not an easy task. Even so, I am disappointed that the government is not conducting a whole-of-government concession policy review but is narrowly focusing on only the DHCS concessions. This limits the scope of analysis and diminishes the effectiveness of this work.
The climate change action plan states that the ACT government, with the Community Inclusion Board, will undertake a social impact analysis of climate change, including an assessment of the current concessions regime. As our climate changes and our utility bills inevitably rise, the social plan’s intention to develop and implement measures to increase the water and energy efficiency of residential buildings is a key component of alleviating poverty. Current government programs like the Essential Services Consumer Council, home audits and public housing retrofitting are all good measures, but more can be done. I look forward to hearing from the government just how this study will be conducted, including whether energy advisers, as well as social experts, will be employed. I assume and hope that ESCC will be asked to join the project team or otherwise inform it.
I turn to the poverty-proofing trial. Action 8.2 of the social plan is a trial poverty-proofing process based on the successful Irish model. The ACT government has used the process in its mid-term review of the ACT homelessness strategy. I appreciate the briefing that the government gave me on this issue. However, I note from the ACTCOSS response to the June 2007 progress report that the ACT government is yet
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