Page 2269 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 1 August 2017
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to fail; and the school had been closed. Chief Minister, when will your government finish the Tharwa master plan?
MR BARR: In the fullness of time.
MR PARTON: Chief Minister, what is the government doing to finally fix the old water supply in Tharwa?
MR BARR: The government has in place a range of measures to address those issues.
MS LAWDER: Chief Minister, when will this government start taking our rural communities, and in particular Tharwa, seriously?
MR BARR: I reject the premise of the question.
Government—support for veterans
MS ORR: My question is to the Minister Veterans and Seniors. Can the minister outline what plans the government has to better understand the issues faced by veterans in the ACT so we can more ably support them?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Orr for her question. I have always said that I believe that good policy starts with good listening, and one part of good listening is ensuring that you have surrounded yourself with people who are experts in the field and willing to engage broadly on the issues. It is for this reason that I am happy to be currently selecting the next veterans advisory council. The council will have an expanded membership and broadened terms of reference which will allow it to provide advice on a greater number of issues.
As part of the new terms of reference the newly appointed VAC will be required to undertake at least one round of community consultation a year on a specific issue to perform a deep dive into how the issue affects veterans in the ACT and what steps the ACT government might take to address it.
I will initially be tasking the council to provide me with advice on a number of issues early in their term, including how it is that we can help those who are separating ADFÂ members transition to civilian employment in the ACT, how we can best ensure that the mental health of veterans in Canberra can be supported and how we can ensure that we provide the appropriate level of recognition to those who have served. I will also be asking their advice on the best ways we can support the community sector and ex-service organisations on their support of veterans in the ACT.
I have been ably supported by the current council and I look forward to them continuing in this role for the remaining few months of their tenure. I thank them for their service, their insights and the continuing valued work they do to improve the life of veterans here in Canberra.
MS ORR: Can the minister advise what he is doing to help organisations that aid veterans in the ACT?
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