Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I wish to thank the Minister for the statement that she has read out regarding the past twelve months. I would also like to take this opportunity to briefly respond to some of what the Minister has said just now. Over the past year, it has been one of my duties to raise concerns in this chamber – in many cases to be the voice of those who are not heard – and unfortunately most of these concerns have not gone away. I think it is important therefor

​Thank you, Madam Speaker. I recently lost one of my favourite aunts. She was a fahu, my father’s sister, and therefore one of the highest ranking members of my family because, in Tongan culture, it is the women who hold rank. She was important to me for this reason but also for many very personal reasons. As soon as a death has occurred in a Tongan household, all family members will be notified immediately, and they would feel a strong desire to go to the putu or funeral vig

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am delighted that Mr Parton brought this matter of public importance before the Assembly this afternoon, and I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to it for a few moments. Recently I spoke with a 13-year-old girl who is a student at one of our ACT public schools in the Belconnen area. She explained to me that since the latest changes to the Transport Canberra timetables, she now has to walk to school every morning. Previously she was able to t

The ACT Government should establish a system to record the number of children who serve a custodial sentence at an adult prison after doing time at Bimberi Youth Detention Centre, Shadow Minister for Families, Youth and Community Services Elizabeth Kikkert said today. Questioning from the Canberra Liberals revealed the ACT Government does not keep a record of the number of youth detainees who go on to serve a custodial sentence at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. “Recidivism

Madam Speaker, I move: That this Assembly Notes that: Currently the ACT Government does not collate data of juvenile offenders who have gone on to be incarcerated in the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC); Recidivism is one key indicator of the effectiveness of juvenile justice interventions; The Government’s Blueprint for Youth Justice in the ACT 2012–22 lists amongst its goals that ‘youth … re-offending is reduced’ and includes the following indicator for successful reintegr

Another accident that left a car on its side and delayed traffic for an hour at the intersection of Tillyard and Ginninderra Drives should compel the ACT Government to release the details of an overdue traffic study near this area even if the Government’s own deadlines won’t, Member for Ginninderra Elizabeth Kikkert said today. “Almost a year ago, Canberra residents in the suburbs of Charnwood, Flynn and Fraser were contacted by the ACT Government to share their concerns and