Page 1696 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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The $2 million for ACTION buses over the next four years will deliver new weekend bus services to underserviced areas of west Macgregor and other suburbs. ACTION’s new network 14 weekday services will also include west Macgregor. Bus stops along the major Belconnen transport axis of Southern Cross Drive will also be upgraded.
The recycling drop-off areas at Belconnen and west Belconnen will be improved, encouraging recycling and less illegal dumping. John Knight Park, one of the gems of Belconnen, by the waters of Lake Ginninderra, will be further enhanced with the addition of outdoor fitness equipment. This follows recent upgrades of playground equipment and picnic facilities.
Our public libraries at Belconnen and Kippax will enjoy computer and security upgrades. In addition to the William Slim Drive and the Barton Highway intersection upgrade which is so needed, Maribyrnong Avenue and Copland Drive will also be upgraded.
I will take some time to also mention the programs for Canberra’s Indigenous community, which received a boost in this budget, with initiatives including $1.4 million over four years to build five units specifically to meet the housing needs of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tenants. The Canberra office of the Aboriginal Legal Service will be funded to undertake a duty lawyer role in the ACT courts, with an additional $416,000 over four years, contrasting I might say, with the savage cuts to Aboriginal legal services which had been undertaken by the federal Liberal government.
The ongoing programs for Canberra’s Indigenous community are in addition to programs for the most disadvantaged in our community. The ACT government’s commitment to working with Canberra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the elected body is in stark contrast to the federal government’s approach in their federal budget. Not only did they cut over half a billion dollars from Indigenous programs, they ceased funding completely for the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the only independent national representative body for the Indigenous community in this country. It seems the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, only wants to listen to his handpicked advisers and ignore the voice of the people.
I commend this fair and responsible budget to the Assembly and congratulate all who worked on it.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (10.15): I thank Dr Bourke for bringing the motion forward this morning.
There are, of course, few bigger priorities for government than supporting their community. The Gallagher government believes very strongly in the brilliant possibilities that our city offers for our residents. We believe very strongly in the resilience and the capacity to rise above the economic challenges that now confront us. We believe in our businesses, our community, and we believe strongly in the future of
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