14 March 2022
Cabinet decision summary for the week of 14 March 2022
Cabinet date: 16 March 2022
Approach for managing ongoing protest activity in the ACT and the associated accommodation requirements
Minute number: 22/160/CAB
The Security and Emergency Management Committee of Cabinet agreed the proposed strategy to manage ongoing protest risks.
A Wellbeing Impact Assessment was not prepared for this item given the time imperatives of the emerging situation.
Assembly Business Motion - Fossil Emblem in the ACT
Minute number: 22/21/CAB
Cabinet agreed to consideration of the adoption of a fossil emblem in the ACT and referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity, with due regard to the publicly voted fossil emblem, trilobite Batocara mitchelli.
Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, no Wellbeing Impact Assessment was required for this item.
Chief Minister’s Statement on public accessibility of government information
Minute number: 21/850/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Chief Minister’s Statement on accessibility of government Information.
The Chief Minister’s statement on accessibility of government information requires ACT Government agencies to make progressive improvements in the accessibility of government information. These actions have the potential to have a positive wellbeing impact on community access and connectivity with government and supporting productivity and innovation through increased use and reuse of government information and data.
ACT participation in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme
Minute number: 22/90/CAB
Cabinet has agreed for the ACT to opt-in to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme.
This proposal is expected to have a positive impact on the ACT economy by helping local employers meet skills needs while ensuring full protections for workers and maintenance of Australian labour standards.
Radiation Protection Amendment Bill 2022 - Agreement to introduce
Minute number: 21/819/CAB
Cabinet agreed that the Minister for Health table the Radiation Protection Amendment Bill 2022 in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The proposed Bill will bring the ACT into line with other jurisdictional approaches to radiation safety, enhance safety requirements and regulatory provisions to ensure the ACT Government continues to detect, respond, and regulate the risks associated with radiation. The proposal will have a positive impact for the Canberra community by strengthening the controls on the safe use and ownership of radiation sources. Additionally, the changes will clarify the purpose and content of radiation management plans to provide greater certainty and confidence to businesses and health consumers that deal with radiation.
Policy Approval was agreed by Cabinet on 12 September 2021 (Minute Number: 21/414/CAB Radiation Protection Amendment Bill 2022 – Policy approval).
The Best Start for Canberra’s Children: the First 1000 Days Strategy
Minute number: 22/130/CAB
Cabinet agreed the Minister for Health, Families and Community Services present a Ministerial Statement titled The Best Start for Canberra’s Children: the First 1000 Days Strategy in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Best Start Strategy will seek to change population health and wellbeing outcomes for children and families by targeting early interventions and supports in the critical time between conception and around 2 years of age. The key Wellbeing outcome the Strategy will seek to influence is Health: Best Start to Life: Children who are developmentally on track, which measures the proportion of ACT children who are developmentally on track in all five Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) domains as they commence their first year of school.
Supplementary Government Response to Report 2 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety Inquiry into the 2020 ACT Election and the Electoral Act
Minute number: 21/856/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Supplementary Government Response to Report 2 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety Inquiry into the 2020 ACT Election and the Electoral Act.
The Wellbeing Impact of this proposal is limited given it provides options for consideration in a future legislative reform process. However, if those options were to be progressed by government in the future, they would increase voter participation in the ACT electoral system through implementation of a permanent overseas voting system and increase public confidence in the ACT electoral system by banning political donations from foreign sources. The further regulation of roadside signage will response to growing concern from the Canberra community about the environmental impact of political advertising.
Nominated capital works project in support of Action 2.6 of the ACT Women’s Second Action Plan
Minute number: 21/722/CAB
Cabinet agreed to a nominated capital works project to support Action 2.6 of the Second Action Plan 2020-22 under the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-26.
This Submission has a positive impact on equitable access to construction trades and learning for women, creating a recognisable career pathway for women and ongoing skills recognition.
Domestic Violence Agencies (Domestic Violence Prevention Council) Amendment Bill 2022
Minute number: 22/95/CAB
Cabinet agreed the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence present the Domestic Violence Agencies (Domestic Violence Prevention Council) Amendment Bill 2022 in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
This submission will have a positive impact on wellbeing in the safety domain by reforming the Domestic Violence Prevention Council to improve its capacity to drive collaboration between the community sector and government, identify systemic gaps and areas of priority, and provide strategic leadership and governance to inform the ACT’s responses to domestic and family violence.
National Guiding Principles for Native Title Compensation
Minute number: 22/52/CAB
Cabinet agreed to endorse the National Guiding Principles for Native Title Compensation Agreement Making supported in-principle by all Native Title Ministers in 2021.
The National Guiding Principles support the outcomes defined in the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019 – 2028 in the Core Area of Cultural Integrity and the Significant Area of Economic Participation for Traditional Custodians. More broadly, the National Guiding Principles support the ACT Wellbeing domain of ‘Identity and Belonging’ contributing to meeting the ACT Agreement Quality Life Outcome of a society that supports the aspirations of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and contributes to the building of respectful, fair and sustainable communities. This will be measured by the recognition of the various groups who are successful in achieving Native Title and receiving just and fair compensation.
Ministerial Statement: Annual Statement on the status of women and girls in the ACT 2022
Minute number: 22/36/CAB
Cabinet agreed to the Minister for Women tabling a Ministerial Statement on the Annual Statement on the status of women and girls in the ACT 2022 in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The Annual Statement on the status of women and girls in the ACT 2022 addresses the ACT Government’s commitment to achieving gender equality in the ACT, significantly promoting the equal participation of women and girls in the community. The Wellbeing Domains significantly addressed by the Second Action Plan 2020-22 under the ACT Women’s Plan 2016-2026 and Annual Statement are Identity and Belonging, Health, Economy, Living Standards, Education and Life-long Learning, Safety, Housing and Home, and Access and Connectivity.