Page 1620 - Week 05 - Thursday, 15 May 2014
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I think that whilst it is one thing to pursue efficiency in the public service, as we must, it is another thing just to make those kinds of comments to try and appeal to other parts of Australia in a way that really is quite dishonest. As well as reducing services to the public across Australia by slashing the public service, it has an impact on individuals and families in the ACT, as we all know well. There is also a further impact on ACT small businesses who rely on those federal public servants to drive their turnover.
Canberra will also have a reduced skill-based workforce as public servants potentially leave the town and specialist national agencies are abolished. The issue of the federal budget treatment of education is deeply concerning. We are seeing absolute reductions in funding and absolute changes in policy. The continued decline in commonwealth expenditure to support disadvantaged students in public schools is reprehensible and will have long-lasting negative generational impacts on the future of our supposedly egalitarian society.
The changes to higher education are just as bad, leading us down the path of an American system that burdens university students with lifelong debt that actively hamstrings future personal financial decisions.
I thought I would use today’s debate to reflect on predominantly some of the areas for which I have portfolio responsibility and for which we have been able to undertake some analysis, at least some initial analysis. I take this opportunity to share that analysis with the Assembly.
When it comes to housing in the ACT, almost half of those who access homelessness services are under the age of 25. The 2014 report on government services shows that in 2012-13 the ACT recorded the second highest number of young people undertaking formal study or training after receiving support from homelessness services, at over 80 per cent.
The ACT government will continue to work to ensure the safety of young people at risk of homelessness in our community while enabling them to move along the continuum of support to stable long-term accommodation. Homelessness services have already been cut as a result of federal funding decisions.
I have spoken in this place before about national partnership funding, which had been extended for one year, but with no clear rationale or policy review structures in place to determine what happens next. But the federal budget is going to put additional pressure on homelessness services as young people under 30 will not have any income support for six months should they become unemployed.
We know that young people already face housing pressure, often couch surfing, living in vulnerable or dangerous environments and experiencing housing insecurity. Now the federal government wishes to remove all income support for six months. This will drive up demand for supported housing. The federal government said it wanted to eliminate duplication but the result has been one of cost shifting.
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