Page 242 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 2018
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This year the government will also focus on animal welfare and management practices by continuing to promote responsible pet ownership across our city. Last year we launched the paws for thought campaign to promote responsible pet ownership and drive cultural change in our community. This will build on the important work undertaken last year in developing the ACT’s first comprehensive animal welfare strategy and legislative change and investment to prevent and respond to dog attacks
This year will also be a big year for our waste sector and for households. The government will introduce a container deposit scheme, protecting our environment and supporting local community groups for fundraising. We will also continue the rollout of the green bins service and seek further opportunities to innovate in our waste sector.
Finally, I would like to provide an update on the government’s ongoing work to support the higher education, training and research sector. This year my priorities include supporting CIT to modernise and provide even more vocational education and training opportunities to Canberrans; supporting the growth of the sector and collaborating to attract investment and opportunity; and advocating the benefits of the VET sector and rolling out our commitments to women in trades and supporting the reskilling of mature-age workers
Under the leadership of its board, CIT is continuing its journey of transformation through the implementation of the strategic compass 2020. This includes growing our region’s economy by adapting course offerings to provide skills for the future and advancing Canberra’s workforce. CIT is also focused on updating its campuses to ensure it meets the needs of students and staff in a modern and competitive VET sector.
We know that one in every six Canberrans is engaged with a tertiary education institution. This is a sector that plays an integral role in Canberra’s economy and our identity as a knowledge city. It is a priority to support investment and growth in our city’s key industry strengths, including cybersecurity, the defence and space industry and the healthy and active living sector.
Our credentials as an education city were enhanced by last year’s announcement, with the University of New South Wales Canberra, of the possibility of a new campus in the city east precinct. This is an exciting development and has the potential to strengthen our vision for Canberra as an education city, creating capacity over time for up to another 10,000 students. The ACT vice-chancellors forum, chaired by the Chief Minister, will continue this year. This is an important mechanism to bring together the leadership of Canberra’s universities and, of course, CIT.
Madam Speaker, as you know well, the potential of the VET sector can be significantly enhanced, and this year we will focus our efforts on advocating for the VET sector within our schools and the broader community and strengthening relationships with employers. This year we will also implement initiatives to reduce the barriers that women face in entering targeted trades and provide support for
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