Page 180 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 December 2016
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ACT has the lowest rate of homeless persons who are sleeping rough compared to other jurisdictions. But we know that there is more work to do to ensure that all people have a roof over their heads, because housing is critical, before we help to address all other social issues.
We are also continuing to take steps to cut stamp duty through progressive taxation reform to ensure that young people can get a foot in the housing market here in the ACT and have the same opportunities as their parents and to support older people who may want to downsize to move into more manageable properties to help them age successfully.
Of course, we must also continue our advocacy to ensure that our federal parliament also reflects the aspirations of our inclusive and progressive city. During the campaign I spoke with many members of the community who wanted to see reform on voluntary euthanasia. Many of them were terminally ill and wanted to have quality palliative care but also the option to die with dignity if the circumstances arose where that was appropriate.
In 1997 the Liberal Party’s federal legislation to amend the self-government act undermined the self-determination of the people of the ACT by removing our ability to legislate on matters of euthanasia. As a result, the ACT has not been able to progress reform on end-of-life issues, despite the excellent work of former member Mary Porter.
But reform is on its way in other jurisdictions, with South Australia holding a narrow conscience vote and in Victoria the Andrews government establishing an expert panel to bring forward legislation next year. This is an opportunity for members of this place to call on the federal parliament to allow us to have our democratic right to have the debate here in the ACT.
We must also continue to push the case for marriage equality for LGBTIQ+ Canberrans who for too long have had the right of recognition of their love for another person frustrated by the federal parliament. The ACT has had a long tradition of advocating for and giving a voice to members of the LGBTIQ+ community before other jurisdictions have had the courage to stand up for them against bigotry.
In 2009 the ACT became the first place to legalise same-sex civil partnership ceremonies. It is also why the ACT was the first jurisdiction to have marriage equality, because we, as a Labor government, believe that all people, regardless of their sexuality, should be involved in our society and included in all of our society’s institutions.
While we had marriage here in the ACT for a short time, this was challenged by the Liberal government. This has left a deep scar in our community and we now have a role here to be advocates for the federal parliament to allow a free vote on marriage equality. We in the Labor Party also believe that LGBTIQ+ Canberrans should not have to beg for their rights in a degrading $170 million national plebiscite. That is the opposite of inclusive.
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