The Productivity Commission’s 24th annual report on Government Services has ranked the ACT the equal safest community in the nation and ACT policing among the most honest.
Being delivered in seven parts until 1 February, the report’s first three parts deal with Community Services, Housing, Justice and Emergency Management.
Among its many findings the Commission rates ACT roads the least deadly in Australia but among the worst for injuries.
It also finds the Territory’s system of educating prisoners and offenders well ahead of most others and its level of recidivism well below the national average.
ACT Fire & Rescue once again has the nation’s second fastest response times to structure fires and Public Housing in the ACT is also better managed than the national average with 99.4 per cent of new households going to tenants in greatest need, compared to 76.3 per cent nationally.
The ACT is also bucking the trend on homelessness by reducing numbers while they rise elsewhere, prompting Minister for Housing Yvette Berry to comment that the 2016 Census figures showed homelessness around Australia rising by 13 per cent while it fell eight per cent in the ACT.
According to the Productivity Commission’s report, the Territory is also doing well protecting its children with 94.6 per cent of children exiting out of home care within 12 months after only one or two placements in 2017-18, significantly higher than the 2015-16 rate of 76.7 per cent.
The first part of the report was welcomed by the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, who said the residents of Canberra cared about the people in their community which was why the Government was committed to delivering efficient support.
“We’re proud of the work we’re doing to deliver these services to our community,” Mr Barr said.
More information on the Productivity Commission’s report can be accessed on the Commission’s website at this PS News link.
