We're now just a couple of weeks out from the first parliamentary sitting week of the year here in the Assembly. In preparation for that, I would love to see you at my free Community BBQ event at Lennox Gardens in Yarralumla from 3-5pm on Friday 31 January. RSVPs are essential for catering purposes. Families are very welcome.
This BBQ is intended as an opportunity for a casual check-in and for me to get your feedback on the policy areas I've heard people want to see prioritised in 2025, which I look forward to outlining at this event. I'm also keen to hear whether there are questions you'd like me to ask of the government, or issues you'd like me to speak to, in the first sitting week.
Strata Management Inquiry
While I've got you, you might be interested in a couple of inquiries that opened for submissions this week. The Legal Affairs Committee announced an inquiry into the management of strata properties, which is a positive step toward establishing an ACT Strata Commissioner. Creating this new role is a commitment I was able to secure in my negotiations with the Chief Minister after the election. Although I'm not a member of the Legal Affairs Committee, I'm still able to attend public hearings to ask questions of witnesses. If you've got experiences and ideas you'd like to share about strata management, I'd encourage you to make a submission - even just a page or two - to help shape this important reform process. You can do so here, and find my media release responding to the inquiry's announcement here.
Insurance Costs Inquiry
Another commitment negotiated through my agreement with the government was to undertake an inquiry into insurance costs for small and medium-sized businesses. I'm happy to report that just this morning the Economics, Industry and Recreation Committee - of which I am a member - announced our inquiry into rising insurance costs. The scope has been expanded to include a range of other relevant issues including insurance issues for community organisations, the impact of climate change on insurance premiums, public liability and litigation behaviour across the ACT, and the impacts of insurance requirements for community sport, recreation and the creative arts. You can find the full Terms of Reference here. If you have concerns about the cost and availability of insurance, or ideas about how the ACT Government could intervene to make things easier for local businesses and organisations, you can make a submission here.
We can also chat further about these inquiries at the BBQ. I'm keen to help ensure all relevant evidence is received and duly considered by the respective committees.
Hope to see you there.