Page 4215 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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MADAM SPEAKER: I ask you to be quiet, to stop interjecting and to allow the minister to respond to the question. Mr Rattenbury.
MR RATTENBURY: I will take that question on notice and provide Mrs Jones with the detail.
MR WALL: I ask either of the ministers: why were corrections staff expected to work in a basement facility that had only one emergency exit and inadequate safety and OHS policies, procedures and signage?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Mr Wall for the supplementary question. I sought a briefing immediately when I heard the information last Friday. My understand is that it was not the case that there was only one emergency exit, and that the matters were worked through. There was a matter of communication gaps with respect to the construction company, Laing O’Rourke, upon whom the prohibition notice was issued. That was dealt with immediately, over the weekend.
I place on record my deep appreciation to the courts, to the Chief Justice and the Acting Chief Magistrate, who worked very effectively and efficiently, along with other court staff, to make sure that the communications around the emergency exit were made more appropriate and better communicated to all the people who were working in the facility.
Government—infrastructure plan
MS CODY: My question is to the Minister for Community Services and Facilities. Minister, how will the ACT government’s infrastructure plan improve community facilities across the ACT?
MS ORR: I thank Ms Cody for the question. The ACT infrastructure plan outlines our government’s priorities for the future of our growing city and how we will improve community facilities across the ACT. The plan also acknowledges the importance of community facilities and the need to ensure that these infrastructure facilities are maintained and improved to meet the needs of Canberrans now and into the future.
We know that Canberrans value local community centres as they provide people with space to engage with others, participate in health and wellbeing programs, celebrate cultural and traditional events, and access support services provided by local service delivery organisations. Within the electorate of Yerrabi, the ACT government has committed to improving a variety of community facilities so that people have access to the places and spaces they need to come together.
Earlier this year we made a commitment to undertake planning work for a new dedicated community centre within the Gungahlin town centre. Since then we have been speaking with Gungahlin residents, community groups and service delivery organisations to learn more about their specific needs and how a community centre could best support the Gungahlin community to thrive. Through the infrastructure plan, our government has also identified the need—
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