The Government recognises that a healthy cultural and artistic life is part of a healthy community and is keen for the ACT to be recognised as a national centre for excellence in the arts; a place to develop ideas and a place which cultivates its artists and their practice. This will make a major contribution to further establishing Canberra in the cultural tourism market. Among other developments:
• more than $3 million is directly contributed by the Government each year to arts in Canberra through the Arts Development Funding Program;
• more than $20 million has been spent on the construction of the new Playhouse Theatre, Canberra Museum and Gallery, the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre and refurbishment of the Canberra Theatre;
• $2 million was provided by the Government for extensions to the National Gallery;
• a new Visual Arts Centre is to be established in the heart of Canberra, to be managed by Craft ACT;
• the Government has recently released Arts Capital, a new strategy which recognises and values the community’s commitment to the arts and aims to attract more business support;
• the Government has established the ACT’s first Public Art Program.
The availability of a wide range of quality affordable housing has been a priority for the Government which has sought to ensure that assistance is available to better meet the special needs of the ageing, young families, and people with disabilities. Our aim has been to provide greater housing choices in response to changes in demand.
The Government’s approach has been developed in the context of Canberra’s Housing: Strategic Directions for Housing in the ACT which established a strategic framework for housing in the ACT, particularly for Canberra’s rapidly ageing population.
• Over the past four years, more than $75 million has been spent on the ACT’s housing capital works program.
• Record funding has been provided for maintenance and general repairs to ACT Housing properties.
• During the next three years, an additional 200 units are being provided across the city, to house older residents.
• The Government has developed a strategy to rejuvenate or replace ageing housing stock and to manage larger multi-unit complexes. For example, a $4.2 million upgrade on the Allawah and Bega Flats has begun with all 228 two-bedroom units being upgraded over the next two years. Ainslie flats are being upgraded with the installation of heating and insulation and new hot water systems.
• Major redevelopments of Ainslie Village, Condamine Court and public housing at Charnwood have been completed.
• To allow more choice for low income tenants, management of 200 public housing properties have been transferred to Community Housing Canberra Ltd, a community-based non-profit organisation.
• A counselling service has been established to help public housing tenants who are having financial difficulties.
• Smoke detectors have been installed in more than 95 per cent of ACT Housing properties.
In 1999-2000:
- An extra $7.75m to upgrade public housing, including extra funding to build an additional 74 units suitable for older persons and refurbishment and improvements to better meet the needs of tenants
Community safety and confidence is a key concern of many Canberrans, and this Government has looked beyond the knee-jerk response of other jurisdictions which have simply chosen to ‘talk tough’ about crime without adopting new approaches. We have recognised that the causes of crime are complex and our efforts have been focussed on developing a multi-faceted approach to combating crime.
Did you know the ACT has: • Since 1997, safety audits have been conducted on 1,380 homes In April
this year, there were • 12
fire trucks |
This has meant looking beyond policing alone and considering issues in a wider context, such as town planning to reduce the incidence of crime right through to education programs for Canberra’s young people about the harmful effects of misusing drugs. Some of the results of this approach have been:
• the development of the ACT’s first Community Safety Strategy;
• upgrading of lighting around major carparks and other sites around Canberra to improve security and safety;
• introduction of a new Firearms Act, giving the ACT the toughest gun laws in Australia. Through the gun buyback scheme, it is estimated that there has been a reduction of 25 per cent in the numbers of firearms in Canberra;
• encouragement of local community involvement in crime prevention through the Community Crime Prevention Council, an annual community grants program and ongoing support to such groups as the Manuka Safety Committee;
• a new Community Safety Liaison and Advisory Safety Project (CLASP) in partnership with the Council on the Ageing, the AFP, Fire Brigade and Ambulance services. Officers undertake inspections of the homes of older Canberrans and provide advice on home safety, fire risk, and other safety issues;
• secondary schools are now involved in a new ‘Adopt a Cop’ program, complementing the ‘Police in Schools’ program;
• restructuring of the Federal Police has enabled more than 40 extra officers to be put back on front-line duties during the past four years;
• a Domestic Violence Prevention Council has been established, accompanied by new laws to better protect and assist victims of domestic violence. Victims now have access to a Domestic Violence Protection Order at any time, including nights and weekends;
• the Government has funded the establishment of a new Neighbourhood Dispute Resolution Service;
• financial support has been provided for the Victims of Crime Assistance League (VOCAL) together with the establishment of a Victims of Crime Co-ordinator’s position;
• new facilities costing more than $20 million have been constructed, including:
* the Magistrates’ Court complex;
* Tuggeranong Police Station;
* AFP City Shopfront; and
* the Gungahlin Joint Emergency Services Centre.• a new Southcare Aero Medical Rescue Helicopter service has been introduced, providing emergency medical evacuation services for the ACT and the south-eastern region of NSW;
• two additional ambulance crews have been provided, and response times are amongst the fastest in Australia. Combined with the efforts of the ACT Fire Brigade the ACT has achieved the lowest death rate from fires in Australia;
• the timetable for the construction of the ACT’s first prison has been announced;
• periodic detention has been introduced as an alternative to full-time imprisonment.
In 1999-2000:
- $1.5 million funding for the Woden Joint Emergency Services Centre;
- a further $1.1 million to upgrade Emergency Communications;
- $3.056 million to increase the capacity of the Belconnen Remand Centre and for increased prisoner payments to NSW;
- additional $1.7 million to fund wage increases granted to the AFP by the Commonwealth.
Canberra is a city of many languages, cultures and traditions. One in every seven residents was born in a non-English speaking country and more than 13 per cent speak a language other than English in their homes. For many of these people it is difficult enough to adjust to a new way of life in Canberra without having to face the additional difficulty of gaining access to services.
The Government has worked hard to ensure that these services and access to assistance have been readily available to people, regardless of their communications skills or their background. We are committed to the principle that every Canberran has the same right to participate in the life and development of this city. Our efforts have resulted in:
• the establishment of a dedicated office of Multicultural and International Affairs within the ACT Public Service;
• the development of the ACT’s first Interpreter Card;
• the production of an Information Booklet for New Settlers in eight languages, designed to help new arrivals to Canberra settle in;
• the first-ever Directory of Multicultural Resources in the ACT;
• an Ethnic Community Grants Program;
• additional funding for the Migrant Resource Centre and CIT to provide specialist language and support programs for new migrants;
• the ACT’s first anti-racism strategy;
• a Multicultural Consultative Council which provides advice directly to the Chief Minister:
• the creation of the Canberra National Multicultural Festival which is held every year.
Canberra has, on average, a much younger population than the rest of Australia, with one quarter of the population aged between 12 and 25. The Government has taken an active role in seeking out the views of young people, and providing them with relevant information and, where necessary, support to help meet their needs. Steps we have already taken include:
• the establishment of a new youth health service in Civic, ‘The Junction’ backed up by the release of a Youth Health Strategy;
• the creation of a new Ministerial Youth Advisory Council, a Youth Connections Program and a Youth Education Access Program at Civic Youth Centre;
• record funds for the Youth Services grants program during the past four years;
• direct ACT funding for the Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Centre in response to the withdrawal of Commonwealth funding;
• a protective behaviours program, provided in all government schools, to assist young people to deal with unsafe situations, addressing issues of abuse (physical, sexual and emotional) in a sensitive manner and teaching strategies in primary prevention;
• development of the ACT’s first Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy.
• introduction of mandatory reporting of suspected or actual child abuse.
In 1999-2000:
- an extra $573,000 for the protection of children at risk of abuse;
• $400,000 to improve management and operational arrangements at Quamby;
• $500,000 for the part-construction of the Gungahlin Community Resource Centre;
• $390,000 for the part-construction of the Lanyon Neighbourhood and Youth Centre.
Canberra’s population is rapidly ageing. The number of people 65 years and older is expected to more than double in the next 15 years. This changing population profile is placing far greater demands upon the government to provide services and policies that address key issues such as retirement incomes, health, home and community care and transport.
Older people contribute not only to the economic wellbeing of our community, they also have a wealth of skills and experience to share. They often care for people who are young, sick or disabled, and also give up their time to work in community organisations, sporting groups and charities as volunteers.
In 1995, the Government released a Three-Year Forward Plan for older people which outlined a strategy for helping to meet the needs of the 28,000 Canberrans aged 60 and over. Our efforts, which have been built around this plan, have included:
• additional funding to expand the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program of more than 30 per cent during the past four years;
• increased support for respite care services and the HandyHelp program;
• establishment of a Carer’s Resource Centre in Canberra;
• additional funding to the ACT Council on the Ageing to manage the Seniors Card Scheme;
• a range of discounts on motor vehicle registration for pensioners and holders of Seniors Cards;
• funding to support a variety of activities taking place during the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) in 1999.
The Government recognises the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander habitation of Australia, and particularly of the ACT region. In 1996, the Territory’s Indigenous population was estimated at 2,898 or one per cent of the total population. This represents an increase of more than 80 per cent since the previous census in 1991. Examples of the initiatives taken by the Government during the past four years have included:
• a three-way agreement between the ACT Government, Commonwealth and ATSIC to improve service delivery and coordination in Aboriginal health services in Canberra;
• new initiatives in health and childrens’ services in response to the release of the Bringing them Home report;
• the introduction of a specialised Security Industry Training Program which provides on the job training in security work for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
• training and recruitment of Indigenous carers for children requiring care outside their family is a priority for the child protection system. The Indigenous Placement Principle, which requires Indigenous children being placed in out of home care, to be placed with a member of their family, their community or an Indigenous carer, will be included in legislation to be introduced this year;
• the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre on Acton Peninsula is due to open in 2001. Funding for its construction was provided by the ACT Government.
In 1999-2000:
- $70,000 will be provided to fund the establishment of a new ACT Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee
This Government has maintained its commitment to improving the status of women in the ACT through initiatives including:
• support for greater representation by women in decision making forums. Women now make up more than 40 per cent of the membership of all ACT Government boards and committees, the highest proportion in Australia. Women also occupy more than 30 per cent of all senior executive positions in the ACT Public Service;
• an audit of ACT Government programs to see how well they are meeting the needs of women. The results will indicate how well ACT women as customers are being served by the government and will inform the development of the ACT Women’s Action Plan;
• the ACT Women’s Consultative Council, which assists the Government to develop and implement policies to advance the status of women by acting as a link between women in the ACT and the Government and conducting community consultations to identify relevant issues;
• an ACT Women’s Homepage on the Internet which was launched this year and provides information on the range of services available to women and relevant current policy issues;
• continued support for the Women’s Information and Referral Service;
• maintenance of links with and support for the ACT Chamber of Women in Business. Women returning to the workforce are a priority target group for employment programs, particularly courses which aim to increase information technology skills; and
• a Redundancy Information Kit which provides a range of relevant information for women who have taken or are considering taking a redundancy package.
Volunteers in the ACT are an invaluable resource to hundreds of organisations, large or small. They are found in a wide range of areas, including health, welfare, education, the arts, sport and recreation, tourism, emergency services and the environment.
The Government has been keen to raise the profile of volunteering in Canberra and has provided direct funding of $100,000 to Volunteering ACT as the peak body which represents volunteers in the Territory.
A Dynamic, Sustainable Economy
The Government is proud of its achievements in economic management, which have contributed to the ACT’s high income and living standards. According to a snapshot of Canberra released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics earlier his year:
• the ACT had the highest household income per capita of all states and territories;
• Canberra-Queanbeyan had the third-highest labour force participation rate (71.1%) next to Darwin and Cairns;
• private sector employment now constitutes more than 55 per cent of total employment in the ACT.
Did you know the ACT Government is responsible for:
• 7,600 lane kilometres of roads and paths and 58,000 street lights
• 3,000 kilometres of stormwater pipes and channels
• 1,000 bridges and major culverts
• over 9 million household garbage and recycling bin collections each year and disposal of 238,000 tonnes of waste
• cleaning services to 80 shopping centres and 62 public toilets
• litter collection from 50 kilometres of major arterial roads
Tourism is one of the ACT’s major potential growth industries. Nearly 10,000 full and part-time jobs in Canberra are supported by tourism.
During the past four years, the government has revitalised the Territory’s marketing and promotional efforts and refocussed them to better target key domestic and international markets. Initiatives in this important area have included:
• additional funding of $6 million over three years to the Canberra Tourism and Events Corporation to market Canberra as a tourism destination and to capitalise on the opportunities arising from the 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games;
• the establishment of the ACT’s first convention loan scheme which is designed to attract more conferences to Canberra;
• revitalisation of major festivals such as Floriade, the Canberra Rally (now part of the Asia Pacific Championships) and the Canberra National Multicultural Festival (incorporating the old Canberra Festival);
• construction of a new Canberra Visitors’ Centre.
In 1999-2000:
- $1 million to build an ACT Promotion Centre at Regatta Point to showcase Canberra to visitors;
• $350,000 to further develop the tourism potential of the Canberra National Multicultural Festival,;
• $300,000 to maintain the FAI Rally of Canberra;
• $100,000 to allow community events to be organised during the three days that the Olympic Torch will be in Canberra.
The Government is committed to reducing Canberra’s reliance upon the Commonwealth public sector for economic and employment growth so that our city will be better protected from any future downsizing and spending cutbacks by federal governments of either political persuasion.
There are more than 13,000 small to medium sized businesses operating in the ACT, employing about 55 per cent of our workforce. During the past four years, the Government has been committed to doing all it can to create the right economic climate, assist businesses directly, remove obstacles to job creation and growth, and to make it easier for businesses to get the help they need from government.
Our efforts have seen confidence among small business operators reach its highest level in three years, while ACT firms continue to win the greatest share of Commonwealth outsourcing and purchasing contracts. Initiatives that we have undertaken include:
• the development of the ACT’s first Industry Strategy, Creating our Future;
• an integrated package of programs to support business growth in the ACT under the title of Pathways to Successful Business Development;
• the creation of CanDeliver, a territory owned corporation, to try and win Commonwealth outsourcing contracts and pass this work onto ACT small businesses;
• an ACT Business Licence Information Service;
• a Canberra Business Development Fund, a joint public-private project, which provides capital to innovative Canberra companies to help them turn innovative ideas into profitable businesses;
• an ACT Business Incentive Scheme which provides payroll tax deductions, land grants and other incentives to encourage businesses to establish new operations or expand in the ACT;
• the New Enterprise Loans Guarantee Scheme offers (government guaranteed) loans to a maximum of $10,000, at a reduced rate of interest, to graduates of accredited business training courses such as New Futures in Small Business;
• the establishment of an ACT Industrial Supply Office which provides local industry with the opportunity to supply products and services to major contracts both locally and interstate;
• an increase in the threshold for payroll tax from $550,000 to $800,000 since 1995 which has enabled more than 100 ACT firms to be totally exempted.
Improving Regional Infrastructure
• The Government continues to work closely with the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments and the 17 surrounding local councils to improve infrastructure and transport links within the region.
• The development of a high speed train link from Sydney to Canberra, the upgrade of Canberra Airport to international status and improvements to major highways in the region, all contribute to the strength and flexibility of the ACT economy.
The information presented above represents just some of the steps that the Government has taken towards fostering a clever, caring community.
Everyone who pays an ACT tax or enjoys a service funded by the ACT taxpayer has a stake in ensuring that the Territory’s finances are put on a sustainable footing. The 1999-2000 Budget is the next instalment in that process.
Ten years after self-government, the ACT is meeting the challenge of paying its own way. While the transition has been difficult, this paper has clearly demonstrated that the Government has not pursued a balanced budget at the expense of its community obligations.
The dividend from this approach is a clever, caring community.
Top of Page | Next | Previous