5 September 2022
Cabinet decision summary for the week of 5 September 2022
Cabinet date: 6 September 2022
Planning System Review and Reform – District Strategies
Minute Number: 22/347/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the high-level directions, findings and issues that will be used to inform the draft district strategies.
District strategies will implement broader government policies and strategic directions from the Wellbeing Framework, the ACT Planning Strategy and other policies at the district level. The metropolitan scale of planning is already addressed by the ACT Planning Strategy. District strategies will provide another level of detail in planning. District strategies will reflect current government policy and identify how, where and what growth might occur in the ACT and Canberra, and what is required to support this change.
Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022
Minute Number: 22/481/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the drafting of the Discrimination Amendment Bill 2022 to make amendments to extend the Act to more areas of public life, refine exceptions to discrimination law and introduce a positive duty to eliminate discrimination.
Reforms to the Discrimination Act to extend coverage of the Act to more areas of public life, refine the exceptions and introduce a positive duty will have positive wellbeing impacts in the identity and belonging domain. By modernising and better aligning the Discrimination Act with the Human Rights Act 2004, the reforms will have a positive impact on anyone with a protected attribute under the Discrimination Act.
Report No.3 Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion – Managing ACT school infrastructure – Government Response
Minute Number: 22/383/CAB
Cabinet agreed the ACT Government response to Report No.3 Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion – Managing ACT school infrastructure being tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The ACT Government response to Report No.3 Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion – Managing ACT school infrastructure will have a positive impact on education, safety, identity and belonging for all ACT public school staff, including teachers, and children and young people in ACT public schools.
Government Response to the Standing Committee’s Inquiry into the Auditor-General’s Report No.3 of 2021: Court Transport Unit Vehicle – Romeo 5
Minute Number: 22/396/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the tabling of the Government Response to the Standing Committee’s Inquiry into The Auditor-General’s Report No.3 Of 2021: Court Transport Unit Vehicle – Romeo 5 in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Government Response addresses recommendations made by the Standing Committee. Implementing the recommendations that the ACT Government has agreed to will contribute to the continuous improvement of the care, treatment and safety of detainees and staff at the Court Transport Unit and the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Draft ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan
Minute Number: 22/418/CAB
Cabinet agreed to release the draft ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026 for public consultation.
This proposal is expected to have a moderate impact on the Wellbeing Domain of Health. The next Drug Strategy Action Plan should improve treatment outcomes and support for individuals, families and carers experiencing alcohol and other drug (AOD) related harms, as it includes commitments to enhance AOD treatment and harm reduction services and programs. Its health-based approach, focusing on improved service navigation, reduction of stigma, and support for individuals with co-occurring issues, will support vulnerable Canberrans and could have a major impact on their life prospects. Through its whole of Government approach, this proposal is also expected to have an impact on the Wellbeing Domains of Safety, Housing and Home, Identity and Belonging, and Living Standards.
Planning System Review and Reform – Territory Plan
Minute Number: 22/438/CAB
Cabinet noted the update on the progress in developing the draft Territory Plan, including a proposed structure.
The Territory Plan will improve the community’s interaction with the planning system in the ACT. This, coupled with increased transparency in how the planning system works, aims to improve community confidence in planning.
Draft ACT Natural Resource Management Plan – Caring for Dhawura Ngunnawal
Minute Number: 22/441/CAB
Cabinet agreed to release the draft ACT NRM Plan: Caring for Dhawura Ngunnawal – A natural resource plan for the ACT 2022-2042 for public consultation.
It is anticipated that the proposal will positively impact the wellbeing of the Canberra community and environment through supporting and enhancing the Territory’s liveability and prosperity and promoting the well-being of resident.
Reasons for withholding access
Minute number: 22/319/CAB
Open Access - Reason for Withholding Access
Cabinet date: 7 September 2022
Government Position – Speaker’s Bill – Integrity Commission Amendment Bill 2022
Minute Number: 22/500/CAB
Cabinet agreed to a government position on the Speaker’s Integrity Commission Amendment Bill 2022.
The Bill will likely have a positive well-being impact on the governance and institute domain as it will seek to provide clarity and guidance to public officials when dealing with requests from the ACT Integrity Commission for material that could be subject to a claim of parliamentary privilege.
Domestic Violence Agencies (Information Sharing) Amendment Bill 2022 – Agreement for Public Consultation
Minute Number: 22/501/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the release of the draft Domestic Violence Agencies (Information Sharing) Amendment Bill 2022 for public consultation and that the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence present the second Ministerial Statement on Information Sharing in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The release of the draft Domestic Violence Agencies (Information Sharing) Amendment Bill 2022 for public consultation and delivery of the second Ministerial Information Sharing will have a positive wellbeing impact in the safety and governance and institutions domains. Releasing the draft Bill for public consultation and delivering the Ministerial Statement signals to the community that the ACT Government is committed to the introduction of information sharing legislation to increase safety for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, and to hold people who perpetrate this violence to account. The release of the Bill for public consultation also supports governance and institutions by ensuring all Canberrans can have their say, connect with and be part of key government processes. This signals to the community that the government and other institutions respect human rights and are responsible, reliable, have integrity, are open, and are fair.
Executive Motion – Adoption of fossil emblem
Minute Number: 22/495/CAB
Cabinet agreed to adopt the trilobite, Batocara mitchelli as the fossil emblem for the ACT.
The adoption of a fossil emblem for the ACT will have positive impacts in the Environment and Climate and Identity and Belonging wellbeing domains through enhancing connection to nature and the natural geological history of the region, and through enhancing connections to Canberra for parts of the community.
Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Amendment Bill 2022 – Policy Approval
Minute Number: 21/775/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the drafting of the proposed amendments to the Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainability Act 1993.
The Wellbeing domain is Environment and climate – Administrative amendments to the Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainability Act 1993 will ensure more efficient operations regarding the Commissioner’s role as an independent voice for the environment and sustainability in the ACT.