Page 232 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
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My intention with this statement is to outline six strategic goals, share some observations and flag priorities for the future. The outcomes I will be pursuing for our community are: an inclusive and accessible community where people with disability exercise genuine choice and control in their own lives; coordinated prevention, early intervention and support that ensures all children, young people and families have the opportunity to thrive; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and community are strong, safe and connected; a community that celebrates our multicultural diversity and welcomes people from all parts of the world; a coherent, effective and efficient community services system that promotes social inclusion for all Canberrans; and safer, fairer workplaces supported by an efficient and collaborative workplace safety and industrial relations framework.
The ACT was the first jurisdiction to sign up to the national disability insurance scheme in 2012 and has led the way in the transition to the full scheme. The NDIS is a massive reform. There have been and will continue to be challenges along the way. While the ACT has transitioned out of the roles of provider and direct funder of disability services, we have an ongoing responsibility to ensure Canberrans are getting what they need from the NDIS, and that their experiences are understood and continue to inform the national NDIS rollout.
ACT Labor committed to creating an Office for Disability to provide a focus for our policy expertise and engagement, and I was pleased to formally launch the office at the Chief Minister’s inclusion awards. The office will continue to support the involve initiative, the ACT’s response to the national disability strategy. A new grants program will support community groups to become more inclusive of people with a disability.
The establishment of a disability reference group will provide an avenue for people with disability, carers and service providers to advise the ACT government on key policy issues and barriers to inclusion. One of the first things on which I will seek the reference group’s advice is the development of a disability justice strategy. This is a large piece of work, and prioritising focus areas will be critical.
I am committed to genuinely engaging people with disability in conversations about how to make Canberra more liveable for all, and ensuring they are represented in broader discussions about the future of our great city. Over this term of government I will seek to develop and use a range of innovative approaches to ensure these voices are heard.
Canberra has some exceptional services for children, young people and families. The first service I visited as minister was the West Belconnen Child and Family Centre. I will get to Tuggeranong and Gungahlin soon. Child and family centres work with families to positively influence children’s development and life trajectory, build the capacity and resilience of families to support their children, and strengthen families’ links and connections to supportive communities. The centres show what can be done when we have an opportunity to work with children, young people and their families early, locally and in a coordinated way.
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