Page 4679 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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ACT and will continue to meet with them to reassure them and to continue to work on how we can—
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Chief Minister, do not be so easily amused, please. Ms Berry, do you have anything else to add?
MS BERRY: Just to say that this is a matter of concern. It is a very important issue. We do consider ourselves in Canberra to be a very inclusive and welcoming community. The Education Directorate and ACT Policing will work very closely with the international student organisations to ensure that that is the case.
MS CHEYNE: Minister, what is the government doing to ensure that it gets advice from leaders and members of the multicultural that community?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Cheyne for her question. I recently announced not only the establishment but also the membership of the Multicultural Advisory Council. I am looking forward to meeting with the council soon and getting their advice about the range of issues that affect our wonderful, diverse multicultural community in Canberra.
We know that people from that community can face a range of challenges both in terms of racism in the community and in relation to things such as finding employment and English language. That is part of the reason that the 2017-18 budget delivered a $1.2 million election commitment for humanitarian and refugee entrants and a job pathway program for them to improve their employment outcomes, as well as additional funding for English language programs.
That was in response to listening to the community about some of the challenges they face. Particularly there is the work of the Multicultural Youth Services in the pilot program in this area. That is just one example of where we have been listening to the community. We engage with community throughout the year in the development of the National Multicultural Festival, which is coming up in February. I am looking forward to continuing to engage with the Multicultural Advisory Council as we work towards the Multicultural Summit that we are starting to plan for 2018.
Asbestos—valuations
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Planning and Land Management regarding valuations and government acquisitions. Minister, why does the government need two valuations to purchase a Mr Fluffy house?
MR GENTLEMAN: The reason that we need two purchases is that that was the policy decided with the creation of the asbestos response task force.
MR MILLIGAN: Minister, why has the ACT government purchased many rural leases with only one valuation?
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