August 2020

The Community Action Party is committed to a culture that values young people and encourages them to use their energy and enthusiasm to participate in their local communities. We consider this to be vital to the wellbeing of the ACT.

The Party believes that government and the wider community can do more to support young people, particularly for those who live in poverty or are functionally illiterate (about 11% of the total in each case), Indigenous, and refugee youth.

The Community Action Party believes that the ACT is able to provide enough water to supply the existing population of the ACT and Queanbeyan.

As a result of underinvestment, mismanagement, and financial diversions by recent governments, ACT residents have been confronted by spiralling prices and semi-permanent water restrictions. The residents of the ACT and Queanbeyan pay the highest urban water prices in the nation.

The Community Action Party is committed to reducing the amount of waste generated by the ACT government, businesses, and residents.

The Community Action Party supports the creation of an integrated, flexible, and sustainable transport system for the ACT. We will actively promote community-friendly modes of transport, including public transport, walking, cycling, and carpooling.

The Community Action Party recognises the contribution that a healthy tourism industry can make to the ACT community and economy. The sector will require additional assistance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Community Action Party values the contribution of sport and recreation to the physical and psychological wellbeing of the ACT community. These activities bring communities together across the generations through fun and leisure activities.

The Community Action Party recognises that there is deep-seated community concern about the unconstrained and unplanned population growth in the ACT, and the lack of consultation by previous governments on this issue. The Party shares these concerns and will encourage a debate with the community on the type of ACT in which we wish to live.

The Community Action Party believes that Canberra's role and function as the national capital is fundamental to the success and future of the ACT and to the planning that underpins it.

Canberra is still a beautiful city. In recent years, however, it seems that the planners have abandoned the original vision for Canberra and eroded its functionality and aesthetics. The Party will work with the community, planners, the Commonwealth Government and others to restore an appropriate long-term vision to ACT planning.

A vision for the ACT

The Community Action Party recognises that the ACT is a vibrant and creative community of people from a diverse array of linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Unfortunately, some forms of racial prejudice and discrimination still persist in the ACT. The Party will work with the various communities, business, and Government and non-government agencies to build a strong, safe and harmonious ACT community that is fully inclusive.

Community participation

The Community Action Party believes that the ACT Government and our communities have a central role to play in making the community safer.

Although the ACT has a lower crime rate than most big Australian cities, it is facing some worrying trends, such as binge drinking, methamphetamine use, drink spiking, street attacks and other violent crimes.