Page 2726 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 23 June 2009
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What came of all of this was a number of policy measures that could support low income, disadvantaged and vulnerable households to improve sustainability and maintain access to energy, water, food, housing and transport. This went on to frame policy and programs that will be rolled out and carried out, such as the ACT Energy Wise home energy advice teams and home energy kits. I use this as an example of why I think it is quite unfortunate that the Community Inclusion Board will be closing. This was a board that really was a leader in pushing for research to be done on vulnerable families in the ACT, to look at how we might be able to put in place the policies and programs that were needed to ensure that these vulnerable families did not fall through the cracks.
Now, with the closing of the Community Inclusion Board and the community inclusion fund, in a way we have created a bit of a gap in that system and I guess that we will be watching closely to see how government does propose to be able to look at important research projects that can be undertaken, to then look at how government departments might be able to partner with community organisations to deliver programs and then, in many instances where those programs have been evaluated and shown their worth, for them to be picked up and recurrently funded, because they are obviously filling a need. So I did want to highlight that.
I also want to pick up on the fact that the Chief Minister’s Department is a department that has a lot of cross-government responsibilities and is taking responsibility for a lot of the COAG agenda. I do note that we had a bit of a kicking this morning from the opposition on support for the budget. They were talking about their savings plan. I went to have a look for their savings plan on the Treasury website and I found it. It is quite interesting reading what they would have actually cut.
I am really concerned that a number of the savings that they would have made were on community strengthening type projects. It was on energy efficient housing which, of course, we know is so important in this stimulus rollout and on communication and events. This is another important area. It has a community engagement unit. The Greens pushed for it to be put back in Chief Minister’s and for us to have a far more robust community engagement strategy with the people of the ACT. But it seems as though they did want to make savings in this area, which I find quite alarming.
It also seems as though they wanted to make cuts to things like the centenary of Canberra. This marks 100 years of Canberra. I think it is a very significant occasion. I have noted that I am very disappointed the federal government has not provided any money to the ACT; so the ACT is very much going it alone at the moment. With this savings plan, it would have meant that the centenary of Canberra would not have been so much of a celebration. I am wondering whether Mr Seselja was planning to host a sausage sizzle in his backyard but ask everyone to bring their own sausages, because there certainly was not going to be enough money to hold any events to celebrate our 100 years.
I just want to say that I do hope that we have a look at this issue of the Community Inclusion Board and what can be put in place. Also I do hope that we are going to be pushing harder the federal government on providing some funds to assist the ACT to
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