Skills

Ensure the supply of sufficient skilled workers to meet current and future demand for housing construction.

Ensure there is sufficient labour for the building industry to deliver the goals of the affordable housing strategy. This is to be achieved through the work of the Skills Commission; by working with the Australian Government and other jurisdictions on mutual skills recognition; and continuing the Live in Canberra campaign.

ACT Skills Future – key initiatives in a long term strategy to address the skills challenge sets out the Government’s response to the Skills Commission report and includes actions to expand the workforce, increase productivity and participation, and enhance education and training, including vocational education.

Industry has responded to the skills shortage by expanding initiatives such as the Australian Schools Based Apprenticeship Program, apprenticeship training, and cadetship programs for building industry para-professionals. The Commonwealth Government has established Skills Australia to work with industry.

A Bachelor of Building and Construction Management, and a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Canberra have been established.

$30,000 allocated in 2007-08 budget is to be matched by payment from construction industry. The chair of Building and Construction has been appointed.

Ensure adequate accommodation for skilled workers, including short term residents.

Develop accommodation options such as a caravan park and a 2-3 star motel in areas such as Stromlo to accommodate workers on short-term basis and to respond to peaks in industry demand.

A site for a 2 to 3 star motel and a caravan park has been identified in the Stromlo area.

Data

Ensure the ACT has access to accurate data on which to base future land release and service projections.

Ensure the ACT has access to accurate data on which to base future land release and service projections and continue to work with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to ensure the availability of high quality data.

The demographic capacity is being expanded within the Chief Minister’s Department, and the ACT Government is participating in a COAG national housing supply data initiative ACTPLA is now providing planning data on its website.

Implement an education campaign to ensure people who move to Canberra update their Medicare immediately.

The education campaign was launched in August 2007.