Page 1456 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
A Fairer, Safer Canberra
Mr Speaker, a fair and safe society protects its residents and ensures their human rights are respected.
It maintains a justice system which is accessible and responsive and the services that provide support in an emergency.
Mr Speaker, Canberra is a safe community. And community perceptions of safety remain above the national average too.
The Government is proud of the investments it has made in a safe and secure community.
In previous Budgets, the Government has funded significant increases in police numbers. The result is that there are now greater numbers of police on our streets—and visible on our streets.
In the 2008-09 Budget the Government has earmarked $17 million for the construction of a new Belconnen Police Station.
Closed circuit television networks in Civic, and at Canberra Stadium, Manuka Oval, EPIC and other gathering places are being upgraded at a cost of $5 million, with another $3 million to operate the networks.
Our fire fighters and ambulance officers are among the best-trained in the country. The 2008-09 Budget provides additional funding of $14.6 million over four years to improve response times and efficiency.
Mr Speaker, a fair society gives people opportunities to succeed—including a second chance when they have broken the law.
We will soon have a world-class correctional facility, in the Alexander Maconochie Centre. The Centre is the first prison in Australia which has been designed and will function according to human rights principles, with an emphasis on rehabilitation.
The 2008-09 Budget allocates $31 million over four years for the Alexander Maconochie Centre for transitional costs, health services, and prisoner education and rehabilitation.
Effective liquor regulation contributes to the safety of our community. The Government pledges an extra $1 million over four years to better enforcement of liquor licensing laws—one way among many of discouraging anti-social behaviour caused by intoxication.
A Sustainable Future
Mr Speaker, a philosophy of sustainability informs all we do as a Government. For us to be truly ready for the future, that philosophy must dominate our thinking even more profoundly.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .