Page 3608 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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had the release of an issues paper, an online community survey, public meetings, focus groups with stakeholders and industry participants, two random telephone surveys of 1,000 Canberrans, two consultant’s reports. And the Liberal Party say there was no adequate consultation. The Liberal Party clearly do not know what the consultation was. They do not care about the depth and the level of the consultation. They took a decision yesterday on the run or, actually to the extent that Mrs Dunne looked so much like a rabbit caught in the glaring headlights, on the hop.
Still the government took a cautious approach. As a result of consultation with the community, changes were made in relation to the sale and use of fireworks for the 2008 Queen’s birthday long weekend. These changes were designed to help minimise the distress caused in some sections of the community by the use of fireworks while still allowing people to enjoy fireworks. Sadly, an inappropriate and illegal use of fireworks continued and continues to this day. Of course, teleportation devices for our police remain confined to science fiction.
The time comes in any public policy debate when consultation must end and decision making must begin. Indeed, I was bemused—and I have actually mentioned this in this place previously—recently to hear radio announcer Mark Parton accuse the government of too much consultation. I thought, “Maybe we’re getting there now.” Mark Parton, on 2CC, said “Why doesn’t the government just make decisions? That’s what they’re paid to do. What is it with all this consultation?” I heard him say that, and I must say that it causes me a wry smile now to have at least one morning radio announcer berating the government for over-consulting. Perhaps we are getting there.
It is common knowledge to everyone in this place that the ACT government is currently reviewing the range of community consultation mechanisms and opportunities that exist in the territory with a view to making them better and more inclusive and with a view to establishing better feedback mechanisms. There is no single right way to approach community engagement or consultation. The circumstances and situation of each issue will be unique, and flexibility is essential. Unlike those opposite who have not been able to exercise sufficient mental or creative flexibility to update their key lines since the election a year ago, we in government have got cracking on delivering our third term agenda and delivering on our promise to better engage the community along the way.
Just this past weekend we conducted the first of our new style community cabinet meetings on a weekend, with each of the members of cabinet attending that particular consultation in Gungahlin. The response was far better than we have ever enjoyed on a weekday. All agencies, all ministers and all agency heads were there, talking with residents, hearing their issues, listening to their concerns and putting them directly in touch with the right areas of government to address their concerns.
This was not a talkfest; this was not a panel of experts up on a stage with whiteboards and PowerPoint presentations telling people how well we are doing; this was face-to-face conversations, introductions and discussions on matters affecting them, their lifestyles and their families. Out of those conversations and out of those discussions, we were able to listen to what people were saying and were able to hear what people had to say, hear what issues matter to people, hear why issues matter to
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