Sitting weeks are always interesting and unpredictable, bringing a unique mix of pressure, excitement and adrenaline as motions are debated, legislation is passed and questions are asked.
A Day in the Life
In a social media post here, I shared some of the ways I’ve been working to bring the matters raised by our community into the Assembly. We’ve just been through two consecutive sitting weeks, among the 13 scheduled for 2025.
If you don’t already follow me on social media, the post shows my preference for jogging into work when possible; doing some radio interviews on the subject of the treatment of Aboriginal inmates in the Alexander Macononchie Centre; being joined by local Aboriginal community leaders Julie Tongs and Joe Hedger for a TV interview with WIN News; sushi for lunch; bringing a public transport petition and tabling an inquiry report in the Chamber; and more.
Keep reading to learn more about what transpired in the past fortnight:
- Board of Inquiry into the treatment of Aboriginal people in the AMC
- Time to back our night-time economy
- A strategic plan for Oaks Estate
- Pedestrian crossing at St Edmund’s College
- Men’s suicide inquiry
- Old Bus Depot Markets
- Saving Burrangiri
- Petition for free public transport
- Funding for community service organisations
- Walking for Pleasure
- Fixing our streets
AMC Board of Inquiry
Throughout my campaign and since my election to the Assembly, there have been a couple of key issues that keep coming up. The treatment of Aboriginal people in Canberra’s prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), is one of those issues. The stories that I’ve heard have shocked me — accounts of excessive use of force; of unlawful solitary confinement; of undignified and unwarranted strip searches; stories about non-existent cultural safety practices; and, worst of all, stories of the deaths of Aboriginal people in custody. Three Aboriginal men recently died in the AMC over a six-month period.
As Canberrans, we pride ourselves on being a human rights jurisdiction, but it seems that those rights are only being afforded to some members of our community. A prison sentence should not be a death sentence, and it's time for the Government to radically reform its treatment of detainees, particularly Aboriginal people, in the AMC.
First Nations leaders have been calling for a Royal-Commission-style inquiry into the treatment of Aboriginal people at the AMC for the best part of the decade. Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Health & Community Services, has led those calls, and has been supported by Aboriginal justice advocate Joe Hedger whose advocacy has been fuelled by the direct ongoing relationships he maintains with affected families. They approached me seeking my support earlier this year, and I offered to bring a motion to the Assembly backing their calls for a Board of Inquiry.
First Nations community members packed out the gallery while the motion was debated. It was particularly humbling and emotional to have Narelle King, Charlene Murphy, and Tanya Hall present — three mothers who’ve experienced the unimaginable grief of having lost their sons while incarcerated.
After many years of calls going unanswered, it took a lot of behind-the-scenes work and public pressure to get support for this Board of Inquiry, which fundamentally has the same powers as a Royal Commission including being able to compel witnesses and evidence. With just four Boards of Inquiry having occurred this century, it was a historic moment for the motion to pass, ultimately, with unanimous support.
This can’t just be another inquiry; it needs to represent the start of the transformational change that’s needed in our justice system. With the ACT having the highest Indigenous incarceration gap and the highest Indigenous recidivism rate in Australia, there’s a lot at stake, and a lot of work to do.
Time to Back Our Night-Time Economy
On a very different topic, I’ve been hearing repeatedly from local venue managers and creatives with growing concerns about the state of Canberra’s nightlife and the future of our night-time economy. Without intervention on the part of the government, we risk seeing further closures of the iconic venues that give Canberra life at night, particularly given the disruptions in the city created by the light rail works. That would be disastrous for budding local musicians, for touring acts who already tend not to view Canberra as a necessary stop while on tour, and for the soul of our city.
In a letter co-signed by MusicACT, local musician Lucy Sugerman and representatives of 20 venues, I wrote to the Minister for the Night-Time Economy requesting expedited delivery of the commitment contained in my supply and confidence agreement to deliver a support package that revitalises Canberra’ dining, bar, events and arts scene, as well as the establishment of a new Night-time Economy Coordinator who can serve as a direct point of contact within government for venues, bookers and artists. Inspired by NSW’s 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, this Coordinator would be tasked with proactively collaborating with venue managers and creatives to activate our night-time economy.
It was a positive first step to see the Government respond to these calls, announcing free parking measures in the city and extending liquor licensing fee reductions to venues across the ACT. While these measures are encouraged, I’m still hearingfrom venue managers that they don’t go far enough, and I will continue pushing for more substantive support to ensure that we don’t lose more of the venues that provide a home for our live music scene and bring our city to life after dark.
A Strategic Plan for Oaks Estate
In the past sitting fortnight, we debated a motion I co-sponsored with fellow Kurrajong Members, Liberal MLA Elizabeth Lee MLA and Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, to bring about desperately needed change for the ACT’s ‘forgotten suburb’, Oaks Estate. This is another case of part of our community, and their calls for support, having been ignored for a long time.
Action needs to be taken to address the suburb's isolation, lack of infrastructure, high proportion of poorly maintained public housing, and associated issues like limited services, crime, and residents' feelings of neglect.
I was really pleased to help pull together this multipartisan call and for Labor to come on board when the motion was debated, meaning the ACT Government will now go about developing a five-year strategic plan to address the serious issues at Oaks Estate. The plan will need to be developed together with the community, with specific requests for action including increased social services, police presence, access to community facilities, a mobile alcohol and drug service, a dedicated bus route, and public housing upgrades with supportive case management.
Pedestrian Crossing at St Edmund’s College
I was very pleased by the Government‘s announcement that it will construct a new signalised pedestrian road crossing on Canberra Avenue, near St Edmund’s College and St Clare’s College. Senator Pocock has repeatedly called for this, and you may have followed my advocacy on this matter since two Eddies boys were seriously injured by the driver of a stolen car on Canberra Avenue.
While it won’t change the devastating impact of that incident on Aiden, Aaron, their families, and the broader Eddies community, I hope it brings some comfort that many children will soon be a bit safer on their way to and from school.
In the Assembly, I argued that this change should be accompanied by a 40 km/h zone, as is standard around other schools and has also been introduced in busy areas like Northbourne Avenue. I’ve been engaging directly with the school about this, too, and hope to meet with some students to discuss other ideas soon. Kids should be able to walk and ride safely to school with their mates. It’s on us as a community, in partnership with our government, to make that possible.
Men’s Suicide Inquiry
The Standing Committee on Social Policy recently announced that we are undertaking an inquiry into male suicide rates in the ACT. In Australia, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. I’m passionate about this issue, and as the Committee Chair, I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to examine the factors contributing to these devastating rates, which have such wide-reaching impacts on families and our broader community. And as a father of a three-year-old, I’m concerned about trends we’re seeing when it comes to boys’ mental health. I’m hoping that by calling on the knowledge of local subject-matter and lived-experience experts, we can develop a localised approach to turn these stats around. You can learn more and make a submission here.
Old Bus Depot Markets
In January, it was announced that the historical Old Bus Depot Markets site was out to tender. I’ve heard from a number of market vendors for whom this has caused a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety, expressing disappointment in the lack of transparency and consultation from the ACT Government with stallholders in relation to this matter. They don’t know when their last day of trading might be, and have been given no indication of when they’ll find out.
I asked a question about this in the Assembly, seeking clarity for businesses and the broader community who love the Old Bus Depot Markets and want to see their continuation. I was disappointed that the Minister for Business, Arts and Creative Industries did not provide any information about when trading might cease — or continue. He also indicated that public consultation would not occur, made no suggestion that he would take steps to reach out to stall holders, and did not commit to opening an alternative site for the markets should the Old Bus Depot be repurposed. The Minister did, though, encourage stallholders to email his office.
The markets are a long-standing, iconic fixture in the Canberra calendar, and have supported many local and regional small businesses as stallholders who've relied on the markets to sell their wares over many years. Residents, too, are understandably concerned about the future of the markets.
While I’d love to see this site better utilised throughout the week, so don’t have an issue per se with the Government going to market to see what kinds of proposals come forward, it just strikes me as lazy, frankly, to fail to engage stallholders whatsoever in the tender process.
Saving Burrangiri
In very welcome news, the Government has changed its position on the closure of the Burrangiri Respite Centre. The facility, which offers vital respite to full-time carers, had been due to close at the end of June per a decision announced by the Health Minister earlier this year. The decision was made, originally, on the basis that the facility needs some upgrades and because respite is technically a Commonwealth responsibility. With around half of all dedicated respite beds in the ACT being located at Burrangiri, the decision rightly brought about a lot of concern across our community. Thankfully, those concerns were heard loud and clear by the Government.
This policy reversal is a big win for those who rely on Burrangiri services, and for community advocates who have worked tirelessly (those who needed respite…) to achieve this result. It also exemplifies effective multipartisan collaboration at both the Territory and Commonwealth levels, focused on fighting for the best interests of Canberrans.
Particular thanks to fellow independents Fiona Carrick MLA and Senator David Pocock, as well as Leader of the Canberra Liberals Leanne Castley MLA, for their advocacy on this issue. On the back of a lot of pressure, it was great to see Senator Katy Gallagher come out with a $10 million election commitment to increase the number of respite beds in the ACT, and I give a lot of credit to the ACT Health Minister, Rachel Stephen-Smith, for having the guts to change her mind – despite any potential political blowback – and extend Burrangiri’s contract for another two years. I was sure to say as much during the Chamber after the decision was announced.
Petition for Free Public Transport
In conversations all across our community, the same message comes through clearly over and over again: people want to use public transport but there are too many barriers in the way.
Canberra is one of the very few planned cities in the world, yet that planning seems to have fallen short when it comes to transport. We’re the most car-dependent city in Australia, with the lowest rate of public transport usage according to the Climate Council. This reliance on cars limits access and deepens inequality across our city, not to mention the environmental consequences.
While I understand there is revenue loss associated with making public transport free, it's worth questioning the true scale of that loss given the administrative cost of fare collection and compliance — especially as we see near-empty buses travelling their routes.
I agreed to sponsor and table a petition calling for free public transport in the ACT. It’s customary for Members to sponsor petitions even if they don’t agree with them, otherwise only ideas that already had political support would make their way into the Assembly. Signatories to the petition are calling for a bold rethink: that public transport should be public in the truest sense — open, accessible, and free. Although I’m still forming my own position, I certainly think it’s worth considering the benefits of free public transport, perhaps with means testing to target those who most need it, as a way of moving the Territory away from its car dependency and ensuring everyone, regardless of income or circumstance, can participate fully in community and civic life.
What do you think?
Funding for Community Services
Liberal MLA Chiaka Barry brought a motion about community sector funding on the same day as my AMC Board of Inquiry motion.
Increased, more sustainable funding for the vital community organisations that support some of our most vulnerable community members — with food relief, crisis accommodation, domestic violence services and more — was the subject of my first election commitment. It’s also included in the supply-and-confidence agreement I signed with Labor after the election.
I am seriously concerned about the adequacy of funding, which has shrunk as a slice of the total pie despite significant population growth, while cost of living drives greater need across our community as well as higher costs for addressing that need.
At this time of year, a heartless inadequacy of the budget process means that dozens of community service organisations are waiting for their contracts to be renewed. Most contracts will expire on 30 June while the Budget is not handed down until 24 June.
2025 Youth Homelessness Matters Day – event hosted by Our Place Youth Foyer
In this environment, with the Government frequently speaking of deficit and constraint, it’s no surprise that community organisations are feeling distressed in the lead up to the Budget. Some see staff leaving, and clients worrying about what will happen to them come 1 July. How contracts aren’t renewed 6, 9 or even 12 months in advance of their expiry date is beyond me.
Certainly for the young people housed at the Our Place Youth Foyer in Braddon, the prospect of waiting to see if their funding will be extended in a few weeks is terrifying.
I quoted one of the current young residents during my remarks on the motion in the Chamber:
I’m terrified that if I lose the support and stability I’ve found at Our Place, all my progress will unravel. Not knowing if you’ll have a place to live is scary for anyone, but for young people who have already experienced homelessness, the prospect of facing it again is terrifying.
I first encountered the Youth Foyer during the election campaign last August when I met a few of the residents. A young man spoke about his first night sleeping there. This, he said, was the first night in his life that he had gone to bed feeling safe.
With some of the affected young people watching on from the Gallery, I asked the Deputy Chief Minister during Question Time about what’s going on with the funding uncertainty, especially given the impact on vulnerable young people staying at Our Place. She explained that it’s a consequence of normal budget processes, and that the Government can’t make announcements before those budget processes run their course. Sounds to me like ‘normal’ is utterly broken.
I’m determined to do everything possible to help keep the community sector from being in this situation of uncertainty next year, driven by the fears of these young people who still don’t know whether they’ll have a roof over their heads come 1 July.
Walking for Pleasure
It was a lovely winter morning to join ACT Walking for Pleasure’s Friday walk from the Mill Creek Oval carpark in Narrabundah.
ACT Walking for Pleasure is a fantastic local organisation. They offer walks five or six days a week, most days of the year, with options for all walking abilities.
I joined the walk to chat with participants about the initiative, and any concerns I might be able to help with. It was lovely seeing people come together and connect around exercise. Given the loneliness crisis, and recent research showing that 140 minutes of exercise per week reduces your risk of dementia by 69%, this is just the sort of thing we should be encouraging and supporting however we can.
Multiple people raised concerns about the frequency and adequacy of our bus network, both for getting to the starting point of a walk and in day-to-day life. In terms of Walking for Pleasure, participants rely on having a car to get to some locations. One participant who’s been part of the group for over 30 years – and had me breathing trying to match her pace! – said she was worried she wouldn’t be able to continue when she lost her ability to drive. As well as continuing my advocacy around public transport improvements across the ACT, I’m now following up with some community organisations to see what might be done to directly support people who aren’t able to drive to participate in Walking For Pleasure.
Fixing Our Streets
Many of Canberra’s footpaths are in a shocking state. Inner north and inner south residents regularly write in to let me know how hard it is to walk and ride to their local shops, workplaces, and parks.
Footpaths might seem like a relatively minor issue when compared with some of the other matters covered in this newsletter. But I don’t see it that way. Footpath quality and connectedness can be the difference between whether someone feels like their government sees them and respects their right to move safely through their neighbourhood, and feeling like their needs are invisible. Neglected footpaths narrow people’s lives.
Having an accessible city is not all that much to expect, yet the most common matter to land in my inbox is, by far, footpath issues. Poorly maintained footpaths determine whether an elderly person is likely to have a serious fall, whether parents can traverse their neighbourhood with a pram, whether someone in a wheelchair can move safely through their suburb at all, and whether children can travel to school on foot or by bike.
People shouldn’t feel they have to constantly badger the Government, via Fix My Street, for something which should really be an essential service. And when Fix My Street doesn’t solve their issue – which is pretty common – they shouldn’t have to resort, in frustration, to contacting their elected representatives. Of course, we elected representatives then advocate on people’s behalf to the City Services Minister, who passes the matter onto the Fix My Street team and the cycle inevitably begins again (although with more pressure applied this time around).
This can’t possibly be the best process available to address this issue, which is why I supported Liberal MLA James Milligan’s motion calling for an Assembly inquiry into the effectiveness of Fix My Street. The motion got up with unanimous support.
There were also plenty of other bits and pieces that happened in the last fortnight which I’ve not mentioned. You can find a full summary of the first sitting week here, and of the second week here.
What’s Next?
I’ll be at the Aligna Street Light Rail stop for a mobile office from 4pm to 5pm this Friday. Swing past if you’re up for a chat! And, as always, please reach out any time via [email protected] or 6205 1475.