Page 475 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 15 February 2017
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MS BERRY: Yes, I can assure the Assembly that an audit has been undertaken. It was undertaken yesterday by the festival team and the Office for Women. The safety
audits that have been conducted since 2011 include a risk assessment around access to taxis; security personnel; escorting women to their vehicles if requested; secure parking; responsible service of alcohol, enforced with a 10 pm cut-off; visible first-aid stations; provision for wrist bands for children, which you can write on; nappy changing and breastfeeding facilities; and a children’s sanctuary, which this year, I understand, is in the CMAG building. I also am informed that the National Multicultural Festival will conduct a survey which will ask a number of questions about how women felt and whether they felt safe during the festival.
MS LE COUTEUR: Was the safety assessment undertaken in partnership with women from the community, including women with a disability?
MS BERRY: I will have to take that question on notice about who was actually involved during this year’s audit. I understand that the Office for Women have been conducting this audit since 2011 at every festival. I will take on notice whether women with a disability were involved in it. I know that last year at the Multicultural Festival there were a number of conversations with the Office for Women and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs around access for women with disabilities, particularly on mobility issues. I understand that a number of these were addressed. It is very challenging for people to get around in that sort of crowded environment, but we do take it very seriously. I understand that Ms Christina Ryan was involved in those conversations as well.
MS CODY: Minister, what other work is being undertaken to support women in the ACT?
MS BERRY: I thank Ms Cody for the question. Last year I launched the ACT women’s plan 2016-26, and I am ready to launch the first action plan in the next month. A considerable amount of work has gone into the development of this first action plan. One of the things we are doing to address the action plan under the women’s plan is the promotion of the use of these safety audit tools at all events in the ACT. In addition, there will be actions in the first focus area on communities where women and girls are empowered and feel safe.
Other activities the ACT government is doing to support women, in particular, is around equality in sport. More broadly, we are supporting women to have equal access to participate in sport. We are funding growth in our elite women’s teams. We are providing incentive funding for sports to lead the way on gender equity. We have a new online sports community for women and girls. And we are providing funding for female-friendly sports infrastructure.
LGBTIQ community—government support
MR STEEL: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, can you please update the Assembly on the work the ACT government has done recently to deliver on its commitments to support the LGBTIQ community?
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