May 1 poll takes the axe to Upper House independence
Taking temperature on state's open border plan
We cannot waste time to address the family violence pandemic
PLACEMAKING is a process centred on the community's assets that focuses on its people, capitalising on their needs and aspirations with the aim of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness and wellbeing. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the importance of community.
Waratah-Wynyard Council has been 'walking the talk' in recent years and residents will be aware of a number of beautification projects taking shape, including improved walking tracks, more public art, beautiful seasonal garden tubs adorning the main street, and a new plaza complete with excellent facilities and beautiful public art in the town centre.
There are clear health and wellbeing benefits from our engagement with art and nature generally.
The 2021-22 health budget includes many initiatives seeking to address the long-standing pressures and failures in our acute health services.
These pressures existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic which has clearly exposed many of our vulnerabilities.
Before, and as to be expected, during COVID we have continued to see waiting lists that are unacceptable, even with the latest figures showing some improvement - 11,007 people actually still waiting for surgery including 1033 people in category 1 (urgent cases where patients should be treated within 30 days), it is clear we have a lot of work to do.
Family violence is a shadow pandemic plaguing society and we must take urgent action the issue,
WE HAVE much to do to address the very real challenge of gender-based violence and all manifestations of domestic abuse and family violence. Changes to our consent laws and progress on making nonfatal strangulation a standalone offence are just two areas I have been promoting and actively working to see implemented.
The UN Declaration states: “Violence against women is any act of gender-based violence that causes or could cause physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of harm or coercion, in public or in private life”.
It was a wonderful opportunity to sit down with Kym Goodes and my Parliamentary colleague Cassy O'Connor to chat about being frank & fearless! I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation last Friday.
"We need to continue to have discussions about what consent looks like and what power and privilege looks like, and how the abuse of these manifests, or we will continue to see these matters rising"
Listen to the full interview with Leon Compton on ABC radio this morning here:
Legislative Council Wednesday 23 June, 2021
ADDRESS-IN-REPLY
Ms FORREST (Murchison) - Mr President, I will start with congratulating Her Excellency Honourable Barbara Baker on her appointment as our new Governor, and I look forward to ongoing engagement with her.
Further, I acknowledge and sincerely thank our previous Governor, Kate Warner, our first - and obviously not the last - female Governor. She has held this position in an exemplary manner. Kate Warner was a trail blazer in the legal world, a wonderful role model for all women and girls. A strong and fearless advocate for Tasmania and the areas on which she focused her work. Her work promoting restorative justice, more effective sentencing options, and gender equality will not be forgotten. I am sure she is not done yet. I am sure we would all agree that she has been an exemplar.