October 2007 already! I hope everyone is starting to put their Christmas preparations in place. It' s only yesterday, I am sure, that we put the 2006 Christmas decorations away!

Its wonderful to have a few rainy days at last! Additionally the weather is warmer, spring blossoms are out and Floriade attracted record crowds. Recently the Minister for Tourism, Andrew Barr unveiled the theme for next year which will be aussie movies.

Our dams have been holding their own lately, since we are able to use water from the Murrumbidgee, however we have been starting to feel the heat, literally, evaporation and increased usage has seen the levels dropping.

The Chief Minister has announced the Government's Water plan. Canberrans have been very good about keeping their water consumption to a minimum, and so far we have shelved plans for level 4 restrictions to March 2008, (information on dam levels can be viewed on http://www.actewagl.com.au/water/facts/damCapacity.aspx ). The Government's Water Plan is about securing Canberra's water supply into the future, the full report by the Water Security Taskforce and fact sheets on each of the water security measures are available at: www.thinkwater.act.gov.au. However you will see it contains a number of measures, including :-

• enlarging the Cotter Dam from 4 gigalitres (GL) to 78 GL, with planning and design work to begin immediately and work expected to be completed within three to five years ( at a capital cost of about $145 million);
• the installation of infrastructure to increase the volume of water transferred from the Murrumbidgee River to the Googong Dam (about $70 million);
• pursuing the possibility of purchasing water from Tantangara Dam (about $38 million);
• design of a demonstration Water Purification Plant, with the water produced during demonstration to be used for purposes other than drinking (about $6 million will be spent during the year-long design phase);
• increasing funding for demand reduction measures by $2 million;
  investigating the extension of Permanent Water Conservation Measures;
• implementing a pilot Smart Metering program; and
  voluntarily off-setting the additional greenhouse gases generated by these projects.

The Government has also brought down its Climate Change Strategy and it can be viewed on http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/sustainability/climate/weathering_the_ch...

Since I last wrote to you, the Standing Committee Planning and Environment, of which I am a Member, has tabled its report into its inquiry into ACTION and the nomination of the ACT as a Biosphere Reserve . The reports can be read on http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/committees/index1.asp?committee=55&inqu... and http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/committees/index1.asp?committee=55&inqu...

I am pleased to see that a number of measures, suggested in the recommendations of the ACTION Inquiry, have been taken up by the Government, including all day reduced fares for seniors and additional community transport to be provided by the regional community services.

The Standing Committee on Education, Training, and Young People, of which I am Chair, has completed its Inquiry into the possibility of lowering the voting age for residents the ACT. The Committee did not recommend that the voting age be lowered. However, it did recommend that civics education, and opportunities to involve young people in the political process, be increased, with a view to revisiting the question before the end of 2010.

The tabling of the report sparked nationwide interest I am happy to say. The report and its recommendations can be viewed on http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/committees/index1.asp?committee=53&inqu...

The Select Committee on Working Families has now completed its inquiry and tabled its report. This can be viewed on http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/committees/index1.asp?committee=109&inq...

Last sitting week I moved a private member's motion in relation to the review of the Dangerous Goods Act, calling on the Government to consult thoroughly in relation to the sale and use of fireworks allowed during the long weekend in June. If you want to make comment log on to http://www.psm.act.gov.au/oir_fireworks.html and two public meetings are being held to provide members of the community with the opportunity to comment on the current and future regulation of consumer fireworks. You can view the dates, venues and times on http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.asp?media=3064&section=56&titl...

By the time you read this I will have moved a motion in relation to secondary college education in the ACT, calling on the Minister to ensure that the recommendations from the recent review into the system are fully implemented.

I am sure we are all aware of the shortage of certain types of skilled workers in the ACT. The Skills Commission has released, for public consultation, its Interim Report on innovative measures to tackle the ACT’s skills shortage. The ACT Government formed the Skills Commission in November 2006 to provide advice,and practical solutions to the ACT's skills shortage issue. Its members include representatives from Government, business, industry and the education sector. It will run an 8 week public consultation process on its interim report. A number of forums are to be held across Canberra. Copies of the Interim Report are available on http://www.actskillscommission.org.au/

Another matter, that has certainly exercised a number of people’s minds, is the issue of eggs produced by caged hens. The Chief Minister recently made an announcement about this matter and you can read the media release on http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.asp?media=2959&section=24&titl...

Sadly recently we have seen the passing of 2 people, who were very active in Canberra’s public life, at quite young ages. Justice Terrence Connelly died on 25th September, at the age of 49. I was able to attend his very moving state funeral on the 3rd October. I was fortunate to have been able to have known Terry. It is thanks to him, I believe, we have a fine Human Rights Act and Restorative Justice Unit in the ACT. Numbers of us spoke in the Chamber in memory of Terry during condolence motions on 26th September. You can read the condolence motions on the Assembly website on http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2007/pdfs/20070926.pdf

Unfortunately, shortly after the news about Terry, we learnt that Judith Therkelsen had also passed away suddenly, at the young age of 54. Judith was a long serving public servant in the ACT and was in a senior position in the Chief Minister’s Department before her untimely death. I grew to know and respect Judith during my time as the CEO of Volunteering ACT, particularly after the fires in 2003, when she worked on the recovery phase.

On a happy note, on 10th October I hosted a function for Communities @ Work, celebrating 30 years of service to the Canberra community. I was one of the founding members of the organisation when it was know as Tuggeranong Community Service. It was good to finally see the book recording those 30 years of history, edited by Frank Cassidy. I believe the book quite accurately portrays those first tentative steps to what became a very large and well established regional community service.

The book is a useful study for those wanting to set up organisations, particularly in new emerging suburbs. I have a few copies available from my office if you are interested to obtain a copy.

Events like this remind us all that it only takes a few committed people with the capacity to stay the distance and a great deal of difference can be made.

The advisory group that will help oversee the final design and fit-out of the $9 million first stage of the Belconnen Arts Centre has been named by Chief Minister and Minister for the Arts Jon Stanhope.

When announcing the members of the advisory group Jon said “This is a landmark project for the arts in Canberra and for the people of Belconnen in particular and it will continue to benefit from the input of local people.”

“I thank the members of the inaugural advisory group, which has provided input to the project since 2004, and welcome members to the group that will help guide the project through the next phase. " The group will work with the Government to shape the final design stage and advise on an organisation to run the Centre.

Members include Jo Bowen, Director, Belconnen Community Service, Steven Bounds, President, Belconnen Community Council, Jan Wawrzyynczak, Arts and Cultural Development Officer, Belconnen Community Service. Anita McIntyre, Straithnairn Arts Association, Ms Francesca Rendle-Short, Director Ausdance ACT, Ms Noonee Doranila, Member, ACT Cultural Council and Ms Evol McLeod (advisory member) Director, Tuggeranong Arts Centre. The full text of the media release can be read on http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.asp?media=3007&section=24&titl...

I am sure the next few weeks are going to busy and interesting for us all, now the Federal election has been announced. I hope you were able to enroll or change your details of enrollment in time.

I would welcome feedback from readers of my blog as to the usefulness of it in terms of bringing you up-to-date with my work in the Assembly.

Kind regards,

Mary.