Page 1329 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 March 2012
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The service allows organisations to get timely advice on staffing matters, which will allow them to refocus their efforts on what they do best—providing services to vulnerable Canberrans. It is another example of this government’s commitment to a collaborative approach to meet our understanding and commitment to the community sector and the services we provide.
I am also pleased to remind the Assembly that the ACT government was the first jurisdiction to introduce portable long service leave for the ACT community sector, a program that has been consistently opposed by the Canberra Liberals, because they see no benefit in providing portable long service leave for the community sector. This government recognises the value of the sector and takes great pride in being the first jurisdiction to implement that benefit for those workers.
The scheme enables workers in the childcare industry and the community services sector to continue to accrue long service leave entitlements when they change jobs within the sector. The scheme also supports community organisations to retain a skilled workforce and provides enhanced opportunities for workers to stay engaged in the workforce with improvement to the quality of life for those being cared for.
This government is also aware of the need to minimise administrative burdens placed on our community partners. In the ACT, the government is doing this by developing an outcomes-based purchasing framework to improve how we fund services. As part of this project, a pre-qualification classification process has been designed to minimise red tape and to enhance the quality of organisations that we fund. We expect this process will commence on 1 January next year.
Part of that arrangement through the pre-qualification will give organisations a very long-term horizon about their funding arrangements, something that I know organisations have spoken with me about to make sure that they have longevity and that their planning is enhanced. The pre-qualification framework will certainly provide that.
There was some comment on the youth homelessness procurement and arrangements, and Ms Hunter was very quick to say that lots of concerns have been raised. But she seems to have glossed over the community conversation within the development of the youth homelessness procurement and the fact that this has been an ongoing thing.
For the sake of members, I will list the providers across the seven services. Housing support services will be delivered by CatholicCare. The crisis mediation service will be delivered by the Conflict Resolution Service. The emergency accommodation network will be delivered by the Salvation Army and the Canberra Youth Refuge, and the comments that this cluster network will not be provided in a safe or adequate manner beggars belief given the history and the experience of those providers. The friendly landlord service will be delivered by Barnardos. The youth identified accommodation and support program will be delivered by Barnardos. The mentoring, life skills and social enterprise service will be delivered by the Ted Noffs Foundation. The parent accommodation support program will be delivered by St Vincent de Paul. They are very skilled, experienced and highly regarded service providers. We have
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