Page 743 - Week 02 - Thursday, 23 February 2012
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MR HANSON: Minister, can you provide an update on the implementation of the Weston Park conservation management plan, please?
MS GALLAGHER: That is available online for the member. I have released that report and it is there for everybody to see.
MS LE COUTEUR: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Le Couteur.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, as you are no doubt aware—as no doubt we are all aware—it is Clean-up Australia Day on Sunday and there is one happening in Weston Park. My question is: how much does the government rely on voluntary actions such as Clean-up Australia for day-to-day maintenance?
MS GALLAGHER: The TAMS Directorate has very good relationships with a whole range of volunteer organisations that maintain our parks, open spaces and nature reserves. They are important partnerships. The government cannot just manage the city on its own, and nor should it. It has a very significant role to play, but the community itself has a role to ensure that our city looks as good as it can. That is why we have organisations like the Friends of Majura and places like that, where a lot of volunteer hours are put into maintaining and making sure that our open spaces are there for everyone to share.
In terms of the resourcing, certainly the vast majority is managed through the funded appropriations, but the volunteer efforts, in terms of the message they send to the community and the important partnerships they play with government, are very important as well.
Children and young people—children, youth and family support scheme
MS HUNTER: My question is to the minister for children and young people and relates to the children, youth and family support program. Minister, can you explain why it is that the information engagement and coordination service and your directorate have yet to develop a common assessment tool for children, youth and families considering there is less than two weeks to go before the official start of this service?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Hunter for her interest in this program that is going through, as has been said before, some fundamental change. The mechanics of the referrals and the other bits of documentation, to my understanding, is being worked through with the organisations that are involved in the operations of this from 1 March. Again, it is being supported through leadership through the Youth Coalition and Families ACT. I understand there are regular meetings on that. I am not aware of where we are up to on a weekly and daily basis with certain completions of tasks such as referral forms, but I can understand a level of concern, given that we are a couple of weeks away that this material should be in place. I am happy to talk with the directorate and get a sense that everything will be in place for 1 March.
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