Page 66 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 11 February 2020
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Minister Gentleman directed the evacuation of endangered wildlife in Tidbinbilla in advance of the fire, to save local populations from complete destruction. I am pleased that the minister will now be coordinating government efforts to support the regeneration of the landscape in Namadgi National Park and the ultimate return of our wildlife, as well as any repair work required to government infrastructure and assets.
This work has already begun. Minister Gentleman announced the establishment of a rapid risk assessment team that comprises specialists in how fire impacts may be addressed for threatened species, habitat, water quality and threats from debris flowing into our dams as a result of the recent rain. Given Minister Gentleman’s responsibilities for emergency services, planning and the environment, I have asked him to oversee the government’s recovery and resilience efforts and will be amending the administrative arrangements to specifically reference this important role over coming months.
Turning now to the Attorney-General’s portfolio, Minister Ramsay will take an important step towards making Canberra a more inclusive and age-friendly city by providing more protections for vulnerable members of our community. I think we have all heard and been deeply disturbed by the stories from the aged-care royal commission. Older Australians have been exposed to unthinkable abuse and neglect. Our move to introduce an offence for elder abuse will be an Australian first and will be an important step in our plan to make Canberra a leading restorative city.
Minister Ramsay will also continue to implement our goal of ensuring that into the future Canberra has the highest quality buildings and the highest confidence in building quality. There is no place in the territory for builders who cut corners, who deliver poor quality or non-compliant work, who flout approvals or who fail to rectify issues in a timely manner. The government will not let dodgy builders avoid their obligations.
On a more positive note about construction, I am pleased to say that the business case for the new Canberra Theatre Centre precinct will be delivered this year. This important document represents the next step in delivering a major cornerstone of our plan to make Canberra a national hub of creativity and innovation in the arts, a place where creative people can pursue their passions and make a contribution to the rich fabric of our society.
In the area of WorkSafe, the newest member of our cabinet, Minister Orr, has a busy year ahead establishing WorkSafe ACT as an independent agency and ensuring it works effectively to keep Canberrans safe in their workplaces. Minister Orr will also continue working on the introduction of a labour hire licensing scheme to foster and promote responsible practices in the ACT, and on an important body of work to make Canberra a more disability inclusive city.
Turning now to climate change, having released two nation-leading strategies on climate change and living infrastructure, Minister Rattenbury is now getting on with the job of implementation. The city of Canberra is now sourcing our electricity by 100 per cent renewable energy. Every electric appliance plugged into a household socket in the ACT is running on clean energy. This, however, is just the start of the
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