Page 1717 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
All of us will benefit from the economic impact of keeping employment and investment here in the ACT. Whilst this will be a challenging time, the ACT government is committed to keeping Canberra working and investing in this community when it needs it most.
In west Belconnen and my electorate of Ginninderra, this budget delivers a range of investments in infrastructure, community services and environmental protections. These initiatives include increases to the level of coverage for weekend bus services in Macgregor, which has already been touched on in speeches by my colleagues here today; trialling the human services blueprint to bring government services together to ensure that people get the services they need when they need them; continued work on the Charnwood shops and ovals to improve amenities; conservation management to start in the grassland surrounding new Macgregor, around Jarramlee, to encourage the sun moth to breed and flourish once more; and more services and more staff at the Belconnen Community Health Centre and walk-in centre.
Probably the most important aspect for west Belconnen to come out of this budget has been the commitment to trial the local services network in our suburbs. The local services network is a key plank of the new human services blueprint. The blueprint aims to make our human services system better integrated and people centred. The blueprint has three initiatives that will achieve this aim: the strengthening families program, the human services gateway and the local services network.
Under the blueprint, the strengthening families program will be expanded to include up to 50 families who have complex needs. Since its launch, the strengthening families program has successfully helped some of our most vulnerable families to lead stable and meaningful lives.
The human services gateway is critical to better integrating and streamlining access to government and community services. The gateway will bring services together under an accessible services hub which will mean that, as far as possible, people needing a range of services can be assessed and referred to appropriate services regardless of where they enter the system.
The local services network seeks to better integrate local delivery of government and community services to vulnerable people and families in our community. The local services network takes a place-based approach that will link local government and community service providers to build a strong network that is engaged at all levels of the west Belconnen community to give a real hand up to people and families who need it.
I am really proud of this achievement, Madam Deputy Speaker. I know how much work ACT public servants, community groups and service providers have done in coming up with this blueprint. They should be praised for their nation-leading work. I look forward to seeing positive results for the west Belconnen community from this new network over the years ahead.
The human services blueprint is a symbol of this government’s commitment to build Canberra up. We are not just a government who wants to create economic prosperity
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video