Page 5601 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 November 2010
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To conclude, I affirm this government’s commitment to giving older Canberrans a greater voice. Ageing is something that affects us all, and it is essential that we treat our senior citizens with dignity, respect and compassion. However, additional work needs to be done on reducing social isolation amongst seniors and reducing ageism in the workforce.
This government supports this motion, and we are happy to work towards convening an ACT older persons assembly in 2011. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move my amendments together.
Leave granted.
MS BURCH: I move:
(1) Omit paragraph (3)(a), substitute:
“(a) that the ACT has one of the fastest growing populations of people aged 60 years and over in Australia and that this is expected to grow from 15.8% in 2010 to 19.6% by 2020; and”.
(2) Omit paragraph (4), substitute:
“(4) supports the establishment of an Older Persons’ Assembly to be convened for one day at the ACT Legislative Assembly that:
(a) is co-ordinated by the ACT Government in consultation with the Speaker and peak ageing and seniors’ organisations;
(b) is a cross-electorate forum that involves a public nomination process for attendees and a selection process involving older people;
(c) encourages Ministers and other Members to appear at debates and hearings; and
(d) will have all motions and recommendations responded to by the ACT Government within three months.”.
The amendments are fairly straightforward, and I understand they are supported by Ms Bresnan. The first just tidies up the demographic information there in the first instance. There will be about four per cent growth over the coming decade. And whilst we support the older person’s assembly, I think it is a bit pre-emptive to commit to an annual event before the first one takes place and we see how that works out. I certainly do encourage ministers and members to appear at the hearings and in the debates and to be active participants in this assembly.
With those amendments on the table, I want to thank Ms Bresnan for bringing forward this motion today and I look forward to being part of the first older person’s assembly next year.
At 6 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
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