Page 2881 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 June 2012
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I am glad to see that the Erindale bus station is progressing and that there is money for its design in this budget. This was something for which the Greens submitted a budget proposal, so we are very pleased to see that being progressed.
The upgrade to the ACTION fleet is welcome. Obviously this is very much focused on meeting the disability service standards. That is good to see, as it is something that we need. We need to make sure that bus stops and buses are absolutely accessible for people with disability. One area we would like to see a bit more of a focus on is overcrowding issues. We do know there are a number of services, particularly in peak times, that are overcrowded.
In relation to industrial relations, safety in the workplace has been a focus for the Greens. This budget reveals something that was already becoming clear—that we do need to have greater action when it comes to work safety in the ACT. The budget papers reveal that only 40 per cent of ACT workplaces inspected by WorkSafe complied with occupational health and safety legislation. This is a concerning statistic as safety in the workplace should be guaranteed.
This year we have seen both the government and the Liberal Party vote against Greens’ legislation on workplace bullying, and I am still waiting for the government to table data on whether it has been favouring the cheapest construction companies instead of the safest.
Despite these problems, there appear to be no new resources or initiatives to address work safety. In fact the JACS directorate is flagged to make significant cuts. We need to make sure that WorkSafe does not suffer in this process because work safety is absolutely vital, as is WorkSafe’s role.
On multicultural affairs, I was not able to see any specific initiatives on that. I note that I attended a Human Rights Commission roundtable on racism. One of the points they made was that we need to take this issue much more seriously here in the ACT. People made the point there that they have experienced vilification when it comes to their religion and their race and that this is something we have to address more seriously. I hope that perhaps in the near future we will start to see some more specific initiatives there.
With regard to disability, I have already noted that there is money in the budget for people with disability and for housing. One of the things we are very disappointed not to see, however, is the Carers ACT proposal to undertake a study which would look at different housing models and the need in the community. We need to recognise when it comes to people with disability that everyone will have different needs, particularly when it comes to housing, and that one model is not going to suit everyone. While it is pleasing to see some money there specifically, this will not be a model that suits everyone. I think the advantage of having what Carers ACT are proposing would mean we could look at that in a thorough way, look at where gaps are and look at what is actually going to be best for people. It is very disappointing that it is not there.
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