Page 3438 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 22 October 2014
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national park. We see beautiful wildlife almost every day. We have access to community spaces that keep us active and engaged in our communities, from our national parks and nature reserves to our sporting ovals and facilities.
But these facilities and spaces do not matter at all without people who have a great community in Canberra and in my electorate in Ginninderra, from our teachers to our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, to our volunteers at places like the Domestic Animal Services who care for abandoned animals, to the volunteers who support our sports teams and school canteens, to the organisations, staff and volunteers who contribute to our community every day by supporting those in need, like UnitingCare Kippax.
The OECD and Property Council rankings reflect on our government’s investments and achievements. But, most importantly, they reflect on the strength and engagement of the people of Canberra. We are a government that engages with local communities to make sure we are accountable and consultative, and this is seen in our government’s cabinet in the community, one of which was held in conjunction with the opening of the Belconnen health centre. These rankings speak volumes about the people of Canberra, about the quality of life and about the civic engagement our community enjoys and has come to expect. These rankings support the investment and hard choices made by successive ACT governments to create a world-class city.
We are making sure Canberra is a great place to live and work, not just today but for many years to come. We are supporting our communities by providing them with services and infrastructure to prosper and to be healthy. I am proud of these results but, more importantly, I am proud to be part of a government that continues to invest in our people, our services and our economy. I am proud of the people who contribute each and every day to make our city so livable.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Health and Minister for Higher Education) (11.52): I thank Dr Bourke for bringing this motion to the Assembly today. As I said in question time yesterday, the government has welcomed the OECD report and the confirmation it provides about the exceptional quality of our city, access to services, civic engagement, education, jobs, the environment, income, health, safety and housing. The OECD findings are very welcome but we know they are not a one-off. As Dr Bourke’s motion notes, Canberra has already been named the most livable city in Australia, and we want to ensure our community continues to enjoy that high standard of living, which is why the government priorities align nicely with the outstanding scores identified in the OECD report, particularly around economic opportunity, world-class services and infrastructure, a community which cares for and looks after the vulnerable and the unwell, and a place of strong community and shared spirit and city pride.
If we look at the health portfolio, where the OECD ranked Canberra 9.9 out of 10, we can see many of the government initiatives at work. The ACT continues to enjoy the highest life expectancy of any jurisdiction in Australia. Life expectancy continues to be high in the ACT. It is expected to increase slightly over the next 10 years. We enjoy life expectancy at birth of 85.1 years for females against a national average of 84.3 and 81.2 years for males against a national average of 79.9 years.
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