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Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services

Inquiry into referred 2018–19 Annual and Financial reports

Responses to questions taken on notice at public hearing of 5 November 2019

Minister for Seniors and Veterans

L E G I S L A T I V E A S S E M B L Y F O R T H E A U S T R A L I A N C A P I T A L T E R R I T O R Y

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AGEING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES Ms Bec Cody MLA (Chair), Mrs Vicki Dunne MLA (Deputy Chair), Ms Caroline Le Couteur MLA

Index QToN—HACS Public hearing—5 November 2019—Seniors and Veterans portfolio

No. Member Subject Minister/Agency Answered 1 Lawder Re Older Persons ACT Legal Service—

have there been any charges arising from calls made to the service? [Minister Ramsay undertook to follow-up with Legal Aid ACT]?


19 Nov 19

2 Dunne/Cody CSD Grants program—specific grants provided to programs/initiatives with a focus on mental health and veterans?


19 Nov 19

3 Le Couteur CSD Advisory Councils—provide list of councils supported by CSD and which inform its work; and the relationships/coverage (where applicable) between these bodies?


13 Nov 19

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QTON No. 1

FOR TIU: A US TRA I, TAN CAPJT AL TF. RRJTORV

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AGEING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES BECCODY MLA (CHAIR}, VICKI DUNNE MLA (DEPUTY CHAIR), CAROLINE LE COUTEUR MLA

Inquiry into referred 2018-19 Annual and Financial Reports

ANSWER TO QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE

5 November 2019

Asked by Nicole lawder MLA:

In relation to:

A discussion about Legal Aid ACT's elder abuse hotline.

Have there been any charges arising from calls made to the service?

Gordon Ramsay MLA: The answer to the Member's question is as follows:-

Legal Aid ACT does not hold information relating to charges arising from calls made to the Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS}. In line with prosecution processes, this would be managed by ACT Policing.

Approved for circulation to the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services

Signature 5f:!::::bamsay MLA Date rf j,,Jt J

Civic Square, London Circuit (GPO Box 1020) Canberra ACT 2601 'I (02) 6205 0127 F. [email protected] W www.11arlinment:act.guv.an

Printed on I 00% recycled paper


FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AGEING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

BEC CODY MLA (CHAIR), VICKI DUNNE MLA (DEPUTY CHAIR), CAROLINE LE COUTEUR MLA

Inquiry into referred 2018-19 Annual and Financial Reports ANSWER TO QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE

5 November 2019

Asked by Vicki Dunne MLA:

In relation to:

Following a discussion about CSD's Grant Program -

Are there specific grants provided to programs/initiatives with a focus on mental health and veterans?

Suzanne Orr MLA: The answer to the Member's question is as follows:-

The Veterans Grant Program (Grant Program} supports veterans and their families' wellbeing and social inclusion. All grants are listed on the CSD website at, https://www .comm u n ityservices.act.gov .a u/wac/vetera ns/gra nts

Grants are available for projects that improve employment; health and wellbeing for veterans and their families; promote participation and social inclusion in sport, art, skill development, or other social engagement focused programs; enhance organisations' capacity to link veterans and their families with supports; and/or which include a particular focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans.

The 2018-19 Grants Program supported a number of projects that specifically address mental health outcomes for veterans, with funding provided to :

• Lifeline Canberra - to run a one-day Road to Mental Readiness (R2M R) training course for Canberra Veterans, providing individuals with increased communication skills, resilience, mental health/wellbeing and confidence, leading to improved employment, health and social inclusion outcomes for the local veteran community.

• Soldier On-to hold a Veterans Rowing Challenge as part of the Canberra Rowing Club's Corporate Rowing Program. While introducing participants to a new sport and providing the well-known benefits of aerobic activity for physical and mental wellbeing, this initiative also provided a new social network for individuals to assist in the transition to post-service life.

Civic Square, London Cir~uit (GPO Dox 1020) Canberra ACT 2601 T (02) 6205 0127 E [email protected] W www.parliamenl.act.gov.au

Printed on 100¾ recycled paper

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QTON No.2

FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY


B EC Coov M LA (CHAIR), VICKI Du N NE M LA (DEPUTY CHAIR), CAROLINE LE COUTEU R M LA

• The Boots N'AII Choir- to run the Strong Together in Song project, an initiative which highlights the challenges faced by veterans (and their families) with PTSD and anxiety conditions, as well as the benefits of group singing as therapy, through performances in local nursing and veterans homes, hospitals and other community venues.

• Buddy Up Australia - to equip the organisation's Canberra Chapter, which assists current and ex-service personnel to connect with their community through purposeful volunteering, social and physical activities.

• Cuppacumbalong Foundation - to deliver a Veterans' Families Blacksmithing Program in school holiday periods, providing powerful intergenerational experiences for veterans and their families through engagement with the traditional craft of blacksmithing.

The Community Services Directorate also provided funding to the University of Canberra in 2018-19 for an ACT Veterans Comm unity Arts Engagement project; an initiative which uses artistic engagement to build resilience and social inclusion in the ACT veteran comm unity.

The Community Services Directorate has also confirmed sup.port for the following initiatives th rough the 2019-20 Veterans Grant Prog·ram, which specifically address mental health for veterans and their families:

• Wade n Va I ley RSL Sub-branch Inc - to de I iver a so ci a I a rt program far veterans which wi! I

support the overall well-being of veterans and their families, allowing opportunity to mix with

other veterans, support social inclusion and provide opportunities to learn new skills.

• Cuppacumbalong Foundation - to deliver the Forging Families project, which provides opportunity for veterans and their families to increase the resilience of inter-family bonds through engagement with welding and cold-metalsmithing to create a large garden sculpture.

• ACT TPI Association - to provides social outings for members and their carer's, with an aim to reduce social isolation while improving psychological health, communication skills and engagement with healthy lifestyle activities.

Approved for circulation to the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services ~~---.,:_...... ...-,.,.,:::f'Y ,,.. / -.::--7 •

/?=---~- . ? -Signature: ~-- / Date:

By the acting Minister for Seniors and Veterans, Suzanne Orr MLA

Civic Square, ! .ondon Circuit (GPO Box 1020) Canberra ACT 2601 T (02) 6205 0127 E [email protected] W www.parliament.act.gov.au

Printed on 100% recycled paper

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QTON No.3

FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAJ, TERRITORY


BEC CODY MLA (CHAIR), VICKI DUNNE MLA (DEPUTY CHAIR), CAROLINE LE COUTEUR MLA

Inquiry into referred 2018-19 Annual and Financial Reports ANSWER TO QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE

5 November 2019

Asked by Caroline Le Couteur MLA:

In relation to:

Councils supported by CSD and which inform its work; and the relationships/coverage (where applicable) between these bodies

MS LE COUTEUR: You have got two ministerial councils, one on ageing and one on veterans and their families. I appreciate that veterans and ageing are not exactly the same, but what are you doing to ensure that there is not a double-up? Many veterans will also be in the ageing category, in the nature of things.

Ms Jacinta Evans, Executive Group Manager, Inclusion and Participation, Community Services

Directorate: The minister has really supported an initiative for afl of our advisory council chairs to meet. In the past 12 months what we call the joint advisory council chairs, JACC, have commenced meeting. That is a really fantastic forum in terms of talking about both the work that aligns across all the different portfolios and also the work that is very different, because sometimes the chairs would not necessarily be aware of work that is happening with their advisory council. That secretariat is supported through the ACT government.

The chairs meet about every two months. Each of the chairs takes a turn in being the choir for the JACC, and the secretariat, as f said, is provided to capture their ideas. For instance, recently the JACC group met to consider the wellbeing indicator work and think about how that aligns across all the different portfolio areas. We have also had conversations around, for instance, things like agefriendly work, because that might flow down into different areas such as, as you said, the veterans area. That initiative in the past 12 months has started to see some really important alignment across alf of the advisory councils and chairs.

MS LE COUTEUR: Could you give us, on notice, a list of the councils that are all meeting together like this? .

Ms Evans: Certainly.

Civic Squme, London Circuit (GPO Box 1020) Canberra ACT 2601 T (02) 6205 0127 l: [email protected] W www.parliamcnt.act.gov.au

Printed on I 00% recycled paper


JIOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY


BEC CODY M LA (CHAIR), VICKI DUNNE MLA { DEPUTY CHAIR), CAROLINE LE C0UTEUR M LA

Suzanne Orr MLA: The answer to the Member's question is as follows:-

The Joint Advisory Council Chairs (JACC) is a consultative forum which was founded in February 2018 to focus on identifying social issues impacting Canberrans by uniting the Chairs of ACT Government Advisory Councils with a community or inclusion focus.

Under its terms of reference, the JACC is tasked with:

• exploring matters of mutual interest relating to the relationship between Advisory Councils;

• informing cross-portfolio alignment of efforts to progress social issues, including exploring and providing advice on systemic issues; and

• facilitating engagement on cross-sectoral issues through a range of communication channels.

The foll.owing councils are represented on the JACC:

• ACT Mental Health Advisory Council;

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body;

• ACT Disability Reference Group;

• Domestic Violence Prevention Council;

• LGBTIQ+ Ministerial Advisory Council;

• Minister's Creative Council;

• Ministerial Advisory Council for Veterans' and their Families;

• Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing;

• Ministerial Advisory Council on Women;

• Multicultural Advisory Council; and

• Youth Advisory Council.

The ACT Ombudsman attends the JACC in an observing capacity, providing opportunity for them to gain an understanding of the main issues across these portfolio areas.

Approved for circulation to the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services

Signature: Date: \~/ {\/I°\ By the acting Min· r for Seniors and Veterans, Suzanne Orr MLA

Civic Sq uarc, London Circuit (GPO Ilox I 020) Canberra ACT 2601 T (02) 6205 0127 E [email protected] W wwv.•.parliamcnt.act.gov.au

Prin!od on I 00% recycled paper

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