Page 3260 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 21 August 2019
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services women’s leadership summit, which resulted in this program. It brings together volunteers and staff across ACT government directorates to share experiences, build networks, learn how to get the most out of career development and gain the tools to be a leader at any rank. The everyday leaders program, a ground-up initiative led by a number of junior operational staff in ACT Fire & Rescue, is happening as well.
It is important that we respect our first responders. I must call out the outrageous attack from Mr Parton on social media last week in which he likened members of ACT Policing to thugs. I table Mr Parton’s Facebook post for the benefit of all members. The imputation against ACT police officers is there to see:
Tweet by Mr Parton MLA, 14 August at 19:44.
The shadow minister for police must apologise for the slur from the Canberra Liberals. It is very clear that it is only this side of the house that backs our first responders and invests in them. Those opposite do not believe in public service.
Legal Aid Commission—domestic violence service
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. Minister, what efforts did you make to represent the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children in relation to the funding cuts to the Legal Aid Commission domestic violence service?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Milligan for the question and I understand that the Attorney-General has on a number of occasions assured members of the Assembly, including, I believe, in the estimates hearings, that the funding that will be moved as part of the redesign in relation to the family safety levy will in fact be replaced from another bucket of money from 1 July 2020. I am assured by the attorney that he has told members of the Assembly that before and that that is the case.
Mr Coe: I have a point of order on relevance. Mr Milligan’s question was specifically about “what efforts did you make”? That is, what efforts did the minister make? She has gone on to try to describe what Mr Ramsay did in estimates but we are yet to hear what efforts she actually made.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Obviously, I spoke to Minister Ramsay, the Attorney-General, in relation to this matter to seek assurance in relation to it. I also worked very closely with Minister Berry in relation to the development of the response and the commitment to respond to the We don’t shoot our wounded report, a report received by the ACT government in, I think, 2009 from the best of my recollection. It is a long time ago. What we learned from talking to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and listening to the community was that it was an ongoing sore for the community that the government had never provided a formal response to that report. So Minister Berry has committed to doing that and I have been part of those conversations with her, with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body and the Domestic Violence Prevention Council. I have been actively part of those conversations and part of that commitment.
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