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13 March 2023

Cabinet decision summary for the week of 13 March 2023

Cabinet date: 15 March 2023

Healthy Canberra: ACT Preventive Health Plan 2020-2025 Development of the 2nd Three Year Action Plan

Minute Number: 22/803/CAB

Cabinet agreed to consult publicly on the draft Healthy Canberra ACT Preventive Health action plan 2023-2025.

The Submission will have indirect positive impacts to wellbeing as it will consider the views of community stakeholders in relation to government preventive health action to keep the population well and reduce the burden of chronic disease. A particular focus of the consultation will be achieving better equity of outcomes and better reaching priority population groups.

VisitCanberra’s T2030 Action Plan (2023)

Minute Number: 22/805/CAB

Cabinet agreed to the release of the T2030 Action Plan.

Cabinet noted the activities within the action plan will have a positive impact on the ACT economy and, with sustainable development of our tourism sector, will make a positive contribution to climate action and make Canberra a better place to live for all Canberrans.

Submission to Commonwealth Inquiry into Current and Proposed Sexual Consent Laws in Australia

Minute Number: 23/131/CAB

Cabinet agreed the ACT Government submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee (the Committee) for Inquiry into Current and Proposed Sexual Consent Laws in Australia.

This proposal is not expected to have a direct wellbeing impact, as no new initiative are being proposed. Any wellbeing impact will depend on reforms to be made as a result of the Commonwealth Inquiry.

Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety – Report 10 - Inquiry into the Sexual Assault Reform Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 - Government Response

Minute Number: 23/139/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Government Response to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety’s Report on the Inquiry into the Sexual Assault Reform Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.

The Government Response impacts the safety domain and the governance and institutions wellbeing (access to justice and restorative practice) wellbeing domains. The Government Response will embed cultural safety, particularly within groups who are most vulnerable within our community by seeking to support victims and victim-survivors as well as the general community to feel safe about their participation and be safe when participating in a more-trauma-informed criminal justice system. In respect of the governance and institutions domain, the Government Response will have major and continuous positive impact upon our community by affording clarification by introducing consistency across legislation, providing further clarification of expectation of consensual sexual activity following recent amendments to ACT consent law, and promoting consistent and fair treatment to improve victim-survivors’ engagement with the administration of justice and access to justice.

Government Submission to ACCC - Lithium-ion Batteries Issues Paper

Minute Number: 23/178/CAB

Cabinet agreed to the ACT Government Submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in response to their Lithium-ion Batteries Issues Paper.

This proposal does not have a direct well-being impact, as no new initiatives are contemplated. The ACCC report, and any eventual responses by consumers, manufacturers, retailers and Governments, may have a positive impact for the safety of the Canberra community through identifying the hazards and risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, and potential strategies to mitigate such risks.

Unit Titles Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 – Agreement to introduce

Minute Number: 23/93/CAB

Cabinet agreed the legislative amendments outlined in the Unit Titles Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, and that the Minister for Planning and Land Management may present the Bill in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The proposed reforms have a positive impact on the wellbeing domain of Housing and Home by making further improvements to the way we live and work together in unit titled and mixed-use buildings.

COVID-19 Response – Stage 4 Business Case – 2022-23 (Quarters 3 and 4 Funding)

Minute Number: 23/177/CAB

The Cabinet agreed to support funding for the COVID-19 Response to June 2023.

Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, no Wellbeing Impact Assessment was required for this item.

Government Position: Freedom of Information Amendment Bill [No.2]

Minute Number: 22/791/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Government position on the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2022 [No 2].

The Government position on the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2022 [No.2] progresses the governance and institutions domain.

Appointments

Cabinet endorsed the below appointments:

  • ACT Magistrates Court Registrar – short-term appointment (Minute number: 23/244/CAB)

Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, Wellbeing Impact Assessments are not required for appointments.

Reasons for withholding access

Minute number: 22/798/CAB

Open Access - Reason for Withholding Access

Minute number: 23/212/CAB

Open Access - Reason for Withholding Access

Cabinet date: 19 March 2023

COSPONSORED: Standing Committee on Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity - Report 6 - Inquiry into environmental volunteerism - Government Response

Minute Number: 23/104/CAB

Cabinet agreed the ACT Government response to the Standing Committee on Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity Inquiry into environmental volunteerism in the ACT.

The submission proposes a significant positive wellbeing impact on people, institutions, and the environment. Volunteering benefits the environment through actions such as planting trees, removing weeds, caring for injured wildlife, and improving water quality. It provides benefits to the participants in terms of social wellbeing, meeting like-minded people, gaining work experience, and learning new skills. It encourages people to have stewardship over, and actively care for, their local bushland; their labour and expertise also ensures consistency in monitoring and management over and above that provided by government. The submission is proposing to increase these impacts across the territory.

Report No. 11 of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety - Inquiry into the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 (No 2.) - Government Response

Minute Number: 23/118/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Government Response to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety’s Report on the Inquiry into the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 (No 2).

The Government Response will have an impact on the governance and institutions domain as the response will see the passing of the Bill that will reduce the retraumatisation of vulnerable witnesses in particular matters before the Court.

Jarramlee Nature Reserve Remediation Construction Project

Minute Number: 23/128/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Planning and Land Management present a statement updating the ACT Legislative Assembly on the completion of construction works as part of Jarramlee Nature Reserve adjacent to the suburb or Macgregor.

Construction is now complete to address ground subsidence issues associated with poor backfilling practices during the decommissioning of the West Belconnen Sewerage Treatment Facility in the 1990s. Important Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana) habitat areas have been successfully reinstated within the offset area. There are positive impacts in the environment and climate wellbeing domain.

Electric Vehicles Strategy Update

Minute Number: 23/150/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction present a statement updating the ACT Legislative Assembly on the status of the ACT’s Zero Emissions Vehicles Strategy 2022-30.

The proposed ZEV Strategy seeks to increase uptake of ZEVs over the long term. The aim is to permanently reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the ACT transport sector, and in doing so mitigate the impacts of climate change. The proposal will have the wellbeing impacts across the Environment and Climate Domain.

Ministerial Statement – Chief Minister Trade Mission to New Zealand and Fiji, 26 October-1 November 2022

Minute Number: 23/163/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Chief Minister present the Ministerial Statement – Chief Minister Trade Mission to New Zealand and Fiji 26 October-1 November 2022 to the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The Wellbeing domain that the trade mission is most closely aligned to is Economy. The changes to wellbeing from this are both short and long term – notably assisting in diversifying and growing the ACT economy for all Canberrans.

Report No 11 of the Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services – Inquiry into the Urban Forest Bill 2022 – Government Response

Minute Number: 23/187/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Government Response to the Standing Committee on Planning Transport and City Services Inquiry Report on the Urban Forest Bill and to the tabling of the response in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The purpose of this initiative is to draft an Urban Forest Bill 2022 (the Bill), which would repeal and replace the Tree Protection Act 2005 (TPA). The proposed Bill supports the Urban Forest Strategy and the ACT Government target to achieve 30% canopy cover by 2045 and would contribute to realising the ACT Government’s vision of Canberra as one of the world’s most liveable cities.

Ministerial Statement - Voluntary Assisted Dying consultation - update

Minute Number: 23/226/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Human Rights present a Ministerial Statement providing an update on the Voluntary Assisted Dying consultation process in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

This proposal has positive impacts in the ‘governance and institutions’ and ‘health’ domains. It will serve to remind all Canberrans to have their say, connect with and be part of key government processes, and in turn to inform development of law and policy that will help eligible people access quality end of life choices.

Ministerial Statement - Biannual Update on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Final Report - Independent Review into the Workplace Culture within ACT Public Health Services (In response to Assembly Resolution of 13 May 2021 – Workplace Culture in the ACT Health Services)

Minute Number: 23/234/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Health present the Ministerial Statement Biannual Update on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Final Report: Independent Review into the Workplace Culture within ACT Public Health Services (In response to Assembly Resolution of 13 May 2021 –Workplace Culture in the ACT Health Services) in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The focus of the Culture Review Implementation is to improve workplace culture across the ACT public health system. Targeted culture improvement initiatives have been implemented across the health system to ensure the workforce feel supported, valued, and empowered to deliver exceptional health care to enhance patient and consumer outcomes. The Wellbeing Impact relates to the Ministerial Statement – Biannual Update, rather than the implementation itself and so the impacts of the statement will be minor and indirect.

Ministerial Statement – 2023 National Multicultural Festival

Minute Number: 23/255/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Multicultural Affairs present a Ministerial Statement on the success of the 2023 National Multicultural Festival in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Growth of the annual National Multicultural Festival will continue to contribute to the Identity and Belonging domain, offering opportunities for all culturally and linguistically diverse Canberrans to contribute and participate in the event each year.

Ministerial Statement - ACT Chief Health Officer Report Update

Minute Number: 23/272/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Health present the Ministerial Statement ‘Update on ACT Chief Health Officer Reporting’ in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The impact of this Ministerial statement will be minor and indirect. The CHO reporting itself will indirectly improve access to information about population health outcomes across the community. The ACT Government is committed to improving the health outcomes of all Canberrans. To achieve this, a comprehensive and sustained approach is required which involves collaboration across the health sector, government, academia, industry, community organisations and individuals. The population health reporting in the four new CHO reporting focus topics will provide a valuable resource for those working in public health policy, health services planning and delivery, and population health research. Providing up-to-date health reporting helps to ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to address the health needs of the population, and that the health outcomes of Canberrans are improved. The intention is that policies are responsive to evidence to support the population to be healthier and more resilient, and that the health system is better able to respond to the changing needs of the community.

ACT Heritage Council Review - Full Report

Minute Number: 23/276/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Minister for Heritage table the outcome of the Freedom of Information decision on the report into the review into the ACT Heritage Council and present a Ministerial Statement in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The outcome of the FOI decision on the review into the ACT Heritage Council supports transparency, will contribute to increasing public trust and confidence in governance and institutions, whilst protecting the privacy and welfare of those involved in the review.

Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion - Report No 6 - Inquiry into Racial Vilification - Government Response

Minute Number: 23/034/CAB

Cabinet agreed the Government Response to the Standing Committee on Education and Community Inclusion Report into the Inquiry into Racial Vilification.

The Government Response will have positive impacts in the governance and institutions domain by demonstrating that the ACT Government values public discussion about the community’s experiences with racism and welcomes opportunities to identify opportunities to better address instances of racism has carefully considered the Standing Committee’s recommendations.

Appointments

Cabinet endorsed the below appointments:

  • Appointments to the ACT and Region Catchment Management Coordination Group (Minute Number: 22/565/CAB)
  • Appointment to the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) – CIT nominee (Minute Number: 23/217/CAB)
  • ACT Work Health and Safety Council – 2023 Member Appointments (Minute Number: 23/257/CAB)

Under the requirements of the ACT Government Cabinet Handbook, Wellbeing Impact Assessments are not required for appointments.