Page 91 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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I reject the idea put forward by some during the campaign, not necessarily those in this room, that our local workers and their families have had it "too good for too long". This is not my view. I believe there are many Canberrans who do not get a fair go, and this is my main reason for being involved in public life. I will be working within the Assembly, together with the other members, to achieve some of those objectives outlined in the Salvares report on social justice; that is, a fair distribution of economic resources and political power; a notion of equal, effective and comprehensive rights for all people, regardless of income or social background; fair and equal access to good quality services in those areas essential for a decent life, such as health, education and housing; the opportunity for people to participate fully in their personal development, their social and community life and the decision making that affects them, and to participate in a community without fear of poverty, unemployment and exploitation.
We who live in the ACT and represent the citizens of Canberra know only too well that all is not perfect in our beloved bush capital. We know that this Assembly will need to address numerous problems that must not and cannot be swept under the carpet. The Chief Minister's speech is a small step in the correct direction. She has begun to acknowledge some of the issues, and I welcome that.
In conclusion, I fought hard against the establishment of this Assembly. I still consider it to be the wrong form of government for Canberra, and I will do whatever I can to keep the Chief Minister and her Cabinet on their toes so that the type of government we deliver to the Canberra people is one they can be proud of.
MR BERRY (Minister for Community Services and Health) (11.50): I rise to raise the major issues in my portfolio of Community Services and Health. The Australian Labor Party Government is committed to creating a public health system which is available to every member of the community. We want to do this in a responsible way to ensure that it is affordable, of the highest quality, but that it is accountable.
We want the people of Canberra to have a say in the system of health care that is for them, a system that responds to their needs at every stage of life and furthers their opportunities to learn how to take preventive measures and live full and healthy lives. The challenges of maintaining the very best of what already exists in the ACT and overcoming some of the problems we have inherited will take some time to respond to.
Today I would like to outline some of our key concerns and some of the measures that our Government will take to make the ACT health system the best in Australia. This week is Schizophrenia Awareness Week, so I will mention our plans in this area first. I thank Mr Moore for his prompt in that respect.
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