Page 177 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 December 2016
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(d) establishing the 100 percent renewable energy target;
(e) establishing an Office for Mental Health; and
(f) the largest ever investment in the renewal of public housing; and
(3) calls on the Commonwealth Parliament to:
(a) remove the Euthanasia Laws Act 1997 (Cwth) to enable debate on voluntary euthanasia laws in the Territory; and
(b) bring on the debate on marriage equality for a free vote in the Commonwealth Parliament.
The ACT is a progressive and inclusive place and, at the October 2016 election, the people of the ACT elected a progressive and inclusive government. I am proud that in my electorate of Murrumbidgee three progressive members were elected. This is an opportunity for the ACT government to continue to deliver progressive and inclusive policies, including the continued support and funding of the safe schools program in the ACT, measures to prevent the harassment of women accessing healthcare services, establishing a regulatory environment for ride-sharing services like Uber, establishing a 100 per cent renewable energy target, establishing an office for mental health and the largest ever investment in the renewal of public housing the ACT has ever seen. Many of these policies are contained in the parliamentary agreement for the Ninth Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.
The government’s commitment to inclusion in our city is also outlined in the social inclusion statement—a cohesive approach to providing opportunities for all Canberrans to fully participate in our community.
The ACT Labor government is committed to ensuring that our schools are inclusive for all students, regardless of who they are. We believe that no child or young person should be bullied, harassed or discriminated against because of their sexuality. In the past few weeks, we have had a tragic reminder of how important making our schools safe for everyone is. The devastating death of Tyrone Unsworth in Brisbane, and the subsequent reports of the treatment he suffered from his fellow students and how it weighed on him personally, is the starkest example of what can happen when young people do not feel assured of their own identity and bullying among young people is not confronted head-on.
We already knew before that incident that teens dealing with issues of identity are at a greater risk of suicide and self-harm, and the safe schools program is designed to provide appropriate support to prevent and to minimise harm. Thankfully, around 24 schools in the ACT have joined the Safe Schools Coalition. Fundamentally this program recognises that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersex, queer and other students exist in schools and that this is an important starting point to be able to include them in our schools. The participating schools are dedicated to delivering safe and inclusive learning environments for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students, staff and their families. Those on this side of the chamber will work
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