Safe from the Start program, Tasmanian export growth, Australian Government support for Tasmanian economy
RYK GODDARD: Julie Collins is the Minister for Community Services, good morning.
JULIE COLLINS: Good morning
RYK GODDARD: And you’re making an announcement today at the Salvation Army, and this is sort of relevant as Youth Week comes up, about some support for adults working with young people who’ve experienced difficult times.
JULIE COLLINS: That’s right. Last year in July the Government – I announced $200,000 for the Salvation Army to put together a kit to train professionals and to develop resource kits for people that have been affected, and particularly working with young children who are subject to violence or having family difficulties. And of course that allows the Salvation Army to do training right across the country particularly in rural and remote areas.
But, sadly of course since January we’ve seen fire and floods in Queensland and in Tasmania, and research tells us that of course children are badly affected by these natural disasters, and of course we need to provide some extra assistance, so that’s what I’ll be announcing today.
RYK GODDARD: What are some of the things that the Salvation Army found, or that they recommend?
JULIE COLLINS: Well this kit actually won awards, it received an award from the State Health Department, and it received an award from the Institute of Criminology. What it does is that it provides professionals with tools, they can include puppets, CDs, DVDs, a whole range of things.
It tells children in their own children’s words, in a language that they will understand about how to deal with the trauma.
RYK GODDARD: I think it’s something as parents that we really worry about, isn’t it? About how to explain, even things that children see on the news, let alone things that have happened to themselves as well.
JULIE COLLINS: That’s right. So, you know, the Salvation Army has developed this resource and the training package, and that has received awards nationally. So, I think that it is worthwhile putting some extra funding into this kit, and to provide the Salvation Army with some additional support while they support families that have [indistinct].
RYK GODDARD: And are they sharing it with organisations beyond themselves?
JULIE COLLINS: Well they’ve been sharing it right across the country with professionals. I understand they’ve trained now more than 1,000 people and they’ve produced 100 kits, and they’re distributing them within Australia, within New Zealand, Canada, and even, I think, in Singapore.
RYK GODDARD: My goodness.
JULIE COLLINS: So, it’s great to see that public innovation coming from here in Tasmania.
RYK GODDARD: Well that seems to be the theme of the show this morning, we’re about to talk to Surf Lifesaving Tasmania about a map that they’ve developed to make things work better for people as well.
Do you th … it’s interesting that economic news today, Julie Collins, that we’ve had growth in exports in Tasmania, despite the mood seeming to be rather glum.
JULIE COLLINS: Well of course I’m very optimistic about Tasmania’s future. As a member of the Federal Government and a federal member, we’ve been lobbying hard of course for investments here in Tasmania, and we’ve been very successful in terms of Commonwealth assistance. But we’re assisting in terms of growth, and in terms of productivity, invested in rail, invested in roads, to actually get some, you know, increased productivity here in Tasmania so that the economy will grow.
We’ve done things like invested money at Vodafone, close to new 750 jobs here in Tasmania.
RYK GODDARD: And yet it seems the message doesn’t quite get through. Are you quaking at the thought of the Liberals’ announcement of their 79 day campaign and the number of seats they want to take from Labor?
JULIE COLLINS: Not at all, not at all. We’re certainly out there working hard in the local community and, as I said, you know, we’ve been quite successful in lobbying particularly here in Tasmania for those things that will improve the Tasmanian economy. I know that local members right across the country have been doing the same.
RYK GODDARD: Julie Collins thanks for your time.
JULIE COLLINS: Thank you.