Page 242 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 December 2008
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This new approach allows for flexibility and seeks to build relationships across the federal government, in concert with the states and territories, as I said previously, as well as with the non-profit sector—and I mentioned before how many programs the non-profit sector offers in this regard. It demands that we talk about people and with people, not about problems; and, as I said before, not about groups of people that seem to have similar problems and seem to be a homogenous group.
I applaud this vision. I understand that in the ACT we have a responsibility to ensure that our vision of social inclusion, our vision of a harmonious society, continues to be implemented. After all, this is the nation’s capital, where we should be aiming for best practice and leadership.
No facet of a person’s life can be seen in isolation from any other, and this new approach by the federal government, which will be implemented, hopefully, through all state and territory governments, reflects that, as it is based on looking at the individual and at what the individual faces. As I said previously, small things like being fearful of going out by oneself, being fearful of going out at night, being unable to have appropriate transport, being unable to read or have numeracy skills—all of these things can impact on someone who may already have a disability or a reason for not being able to find work. And it makes matters much worse. It is very important that each individual is looked at having regard to their own particular circumstances so that we can continue to provide appropriate employment for all people in our community, and everyone can be economically connected.
We are very fortunate in this city in that we have worked very hard to establish its reputation as a welcoming and supportive destination for people from many nations who come here to live and to work. It is clear from what we have achieved. Of course, we all know about the wonderful multicultural nature of our city. We can talk about the popularity of Canberra’s annual Multicultural Festival that Mr Hargreaves will be launching this coming Friday. This demonstrates how we as Canberrans cherish our city and cherish its inclusiveness and its harmonious nature.
It is clear that people in the ACT strongly desire and support events, programs and policies that contribute to a more inclusive society. I am sure that this new model that the federal government is proposing is something that we will be looking at with interest. It is extremely important that we all work together, and this new era of cooperation between the states, territories and the federal government is very welcome. As I said, when I attended the meeting of the ministerial council on ageing and discussed matters with my territory, state and federal government colleagues, I found that there is a lot of cooperation going on now. I am very hopeful for the future in that regard.
I reiterate my support for the proposed new model for disability employment services and encourage the Minister for Disability and Housing to support this model so that the ACT leads the way in the development of a fully inclusive Australia.
MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (4.55): I would like to thank Ms Porter for bringing this matter to the attention of the Assembly. Improving employment opportunities for people with a disability is a vital aspect of improving the quality of life for everyone
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