Page 3236 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 16 August 2011
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MR SPEAKER: Dr Bourke, a supplementary.
DR BOURKE: A supplementary, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, what non-government organisations does the ACT government collaborate with on ensuring that these concessions get to the ACT community?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Dr Bourke for the question. I have already mentioned that I am holding a community roundtable, where the government will continue our discussion and listen to the views of our non-government partners around a range of assistance measures to members of the community, including concessions. Obviously, we cooperate very closely with non-government organisations as they are often at the coalface of interactions with members of the community who are experiencing financial disadvantage.
Obviously, we do have a range of programs which will also use intelligence that is collected across the public service, including access through our energy wise home energy audit scheme, the schemes that are in place through disability, through health and through education, to identify any new areas where the government could work with the directorates and the community to make sure that our assistance, and our targeted assistance, to Canberrans who are experiencing financial disadvantage reaches those most in need.
I have been hearing anecdotally—and this is where we do differ from the Liberal Party, who have a blanket approach to this, that every household in Canberra is in need. We do have a view, and we will keep our ears open, that any government assistance should be provided to and should be targeted at those who are experiencing genuine financial disadvantage. Just because your bills go up does not mean that you need government assistance. But accepting that—and I think that we have met the needs of those through the concessions regime, to the largest part we can—we now need to look at those that just sit above that concessions framework, to make sure that they are also getting the full support of their government, and any government assistance that we can provide, and to make sure that they have access to the same opportunities that all of us in this place do.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Coe, a supplementary question.
MR COE: Chief Minister, given that your government is proposing a commitment to concession cardholders and a supposed commitment to recognising concession cardholders from across the border, why is that New South Wales concession cardholders still struggle to get a concession when they board ACTION buses?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Coe for the question. I think it is fair to say that New South Wales travellers can use and access concessions on ACTION buses. I think there is an issue around MyWay that ACTION buses are working on, to resolve with New South Wales patrons. But, as with all things in this area, it remains a work in progress.
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