Page 1303 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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Canberrans can be clear on is that the ACT government has a credible, responsible, sustainable plan to weather the economic storm and to rebuild our economy. We will continue to invest in our public health system, education and training and will continue to invest to create and protect local and secure jobs. We will keep working with the community sector to ensure that vulnerable Canberrans are not left behind, particularly as federal support is cut back.
Governments have a duty now to step up to support and grow the economy. We will help shape, create and grow markets in a way that leads to greater job creation. It will not be easy, but when we look across Australia and we look overseas, it is clear that we are in a better position than most. We have a plan, and we are ready to deliver that plan, creating secure jobs, supporting households and providing the environment for businesses to grow.
I present the following paper:
COVID-19—ACT economic response—Ministerial statement, 18 June 2020.
I move:
That the Assembly take note of the paper.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
COVID-19 pandemic response—update
Ministerial statement
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Children, Youth and Families and Minister for Health) (10.48): I rise today to provide my fifth update to the Assembly on the COVID-19 situation in the ACT and the actions taken by the government to continue to protect the health and wellbeing of our community.
The first update I provided to the chamber, on 2 April 2020, accompanied emergency legislative amendments which allowed the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration to be extended by 90 days and ensured that the Chief Health Officer was able to concentrate on the task at hand—protecting the Canberra community. At that time there was significant growth in cases in the ACT and Australia and the outlook mirrored what we have witnessed overseas.
Two and a half months on from that period of intense planning, preparation and response, we are in much stronger epidemiological position. The situation in the ACT remains encouraging, with no evidence of community transmission. Since my last update, there has been one new recorded case, for a total of 108 laboratory-confirmed cases in the ACT, with 105 now recovered and, sadly, three deaths. As of yesterday, the ACT again had no active cases of COVID-19.
As members may know, the one new case was a male aged in his 40s who recently returned from overseas. This individual has been in quarantine since arriving from
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