Page 532 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 10 February 2009
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and retaining jobs should be the basis of any stimulus package. In fact, since the start of this Assembly, the ACT Greens have advocated the need to develop a green economy in the ACT. That is about building green business and creating more green-collar jobs.
The response of states and territories is vital to the success of any plan, and if they use this commonwealth funding as a substitute for their own planned capital works or stimulus packages and reduce their spend, any possible benefits will be eroded away.
Of concern also is that in Senate hearings last week in the federal parliament, officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet revealed that no thought had been given in preparing the plan to requiring new housing stock to be energy efficient. Neither was any consideration given to funding cycleways or public transport infrastructure instead of roads. I am, however, encouraged by the fact that the ACTU, the Australian Council of Social Service and major church providers are broadly supportive of the plan.
In relation to this possible investment in new social housing—that is public and community housing in the ACT—it is important that it be used with our changing climate in mind. New houses need to be well ventilated, solar passive, energy efficient, incorporate solar hot water and be made with low-emission materials. These new homes can then be efficient and water efficient and therefore cheap to live in, and they can have a reduced impact on our environment. Investment at this magnitude in social housing by the federal government will put us closer to the goal the ACT Greens agreed with ALP of increasing the stock of public housing to 10 per cent of all Canberra homes.
The Greens are pleased to see the building the education revolution initiative included in the plan, the aim being to fund schools to build and to upgrade facilities. It is important that this funding be managed in consultation with school boards and parents and citizens groups to ensure needs are accurately identified and the funds used appropriately. For example, with our experiences of last week with schools having to send students home due to the heat, it seems this is the opportunity to improve student and teacher comfort with insulation and cooling rather than perhaps building additional facilities.
The time lines on implementing the initiatives and the proposed plan are understandably very tight to stimulate the economy before it falls into recession. In doing this, we are concerned that sufficient resources be allocated to those areas or departments required to undertake the scoping and the implementation of the plan. In the ACT, if we are to get the best results from what may be a huge boost to the economy, we need to ensure all aspects are given due consideration.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Women) (5.09): The ACT government welcomes the commonwealth’s nation building and jobs plan and recognises the significant investment this provides for territory infrastructure and the positive impact it will have on businesses, jobs and consumers.
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