Older Canberrans’ rights and embedded utilities networks were debated in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Liberals: A better Canberra for senior citizens
Nicole Lawder (Canberra Liberals), Shadow Minister for Seniors, called on the ACT Government to accelerate the replacement and repair of footpaths, a component of the Age-Friendly City Plan, and to accelerate work on making Canberra a dementia-friendly city.
The number of Canberrans aged over 55 is increasing as a proportion of the population, based on the 2021 Census results, but ageism is increasingly an issue for society as life expectancy rises, particularly in the ACT, which has the highest male and female life expectancy in Australia, Ms Lawder remarked.
Ms Lawder’s motion was accepted in part. Emma Davidson, Minister for Veterans and Seniors, amended the motion. It now states that the ACT Government will continue to implement the Age-Friendly City Plan and Re-envisioning Older Persons Mental Health and Wellbeing in the ACT Strategy; continue consultation and the implementation of the Age Friendly Suburbs Program, which includes remediation and repair of, and new, footpaths; and continue to progress work to make Canberra a more Dementia-Friendly City.
Ms Lawder’s clause proposing the ACT Government collect usage data via senior citizens’ MyWay cards to better understand their travel needs and habits was deleted. Instead, Ms Davidson’s amendment states that the government will consider the results of the ACT Household Travel Survey with a focus on older Canberrans, to better understand their travel needs and habits.
The ACT Government will, however, as Ms Lawder proposed, write to the Australian Government in support of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, and provide a copy of this correspondence and any response received to the Assembly by March.
Ms Davidson also inserted a clause stating that the government will continue to work with the older community, the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing, stakeholder groups and across government, to identify the broader needs of older Canberrans, and the supports they require.
Labor: Cheaper utility prices
Michael Pettersson MLA (ACT Labor) called for a review of embedded networks (private utility networks that serve multiple premises in apartment blocks, retirement villages, social housing, and caravan parks) in the ACT. The ACT Legislative Assembly agreed to the review.
He noted that embedded network users may pay more for utilities than those with unlimited retail choice, and that they had limited consumer rights and protections. Embedded network providers operate in a loosely regulated environment that may require stronger oversight.
“Under the current system, embedded network users are locked into contracts made by parties completely unknown to them that generate bills that may be more expensive than other market,” Mr Pettersson stated. “I believe it’s time that we look into the suitability of embedded networks in the ACT.”
Mr Pettersson’s review will investigate whether new embedded networks should be banned (as in Victoria); further regulation of embedded network providers; and further consumer protections for embedded network users to equalise consumer protections for on-market users.
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