Page 3471 - Week 11 - Thursday, 15 November 2007
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The Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, which opened in December 2005, pays tribute to and accommodates those from other nations who have helped to enrich our community and cultural diversity. I believe that this centre, and all that it represents and supports, is all the more to be treasured in these times of international conflict and divisiveness from some of our national leaders.
Personal safety has also been an area of strong focus, with funding for an additional 60 police officers included in the 2006-07 budget and the continued active and successful implementation of the ACT property crime reduction strategy.
The government is also taking responsibility for those prisoners who are ACT residents through the construction of the Alexander McConachie Centre, ensuring they have access to their family and supports. The centre, which will have a strong rehabilitation focus, will be the first Australian gaol designed and operated using human rights principles.
We have also continued to build community spirit through our ongoing program of events, our public celebrations of Christmas, New Year, Australia Day and Canberra Day, and our highly valued Around Town and Groovin’ in Garema events. The centenary of Canberra’s foundation is also fast approaching, and planning is already underway for a major community celebration in 2013.
In ensuring our city is one that embraces all ages, which is the Canberra plan’s third strategic theme, we have continued our highly successful building for our ageing community strategy to identify and make available land for aged care facilities.
Protecting the welfare of older Canberrans is also critical, and for this reason the government launched in 2006 the elder abuse awareness campaign, which aims to raise awareness of elder abuse and reduce its incidence in our community. The silver lining project, launched by the Ministerial Council on the Ageing this year, articulates strategies to attract and retain mature age employees, recognising both the highly valuable contribution they make to the workforce and the need for us, as a community, to nurture our entire workforce in this time of skills shortage. Recognising the achievements of older Canberrans is at the heart of two ongoing initiatives: the Chief Minister’s lifetime achievement awards and the highly prized Canberra gold awards.
We have also acted to protect the interests of children and young people, undertaking a major review of the Children and Young People Act 1999. The schools as communities program has also continued to create and strengthen effective and strong working relationships between families, communities and their schools.
The interests of older people and young people have been further safeguarded by the appointment, under the umbrella of the Human Rights Commission, of the Health Services Commissioner, the Disability and Community Services Commissioner, and the Children and Young People Commissioner. The Health Services Commissioner is responsible for complaints about health services and services for older people in general.
We have extended our services for older people, allocating an additional $10.4 million in the last budget to increase the capacity of the Aged Care and Rehabilitation Service,
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