Page 835 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 25 July 1989
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Mr Kaine: Not in the Eastern world?
MR BERRY: Maybe my advisers are not familiar with that neck of the woods. It is, at the moment, occurring all over Australia. The media, including print, radio and television, have been provided with information for the public to alert them of the situation and the appropriate measures which might be taken if any children are afflicted by that virus.
Medical facilities are required for about one per cent or less of infected infants, and they might need hospitalisation. The problem has occurred, as expected, in the recent few weeks, with an increase in the last week. However, these cases are improving with standard treatment, and the infants are being discharged from hospital when their condition has sufficiently improved. It is quite a regular event at this time of the year.
Assembly Sittings
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Deputy Chief Minister. Will he confirm that he and the Liberal leader have agreed to close the Assembly sittings from this Thursday until the end of August, then to sit three days in September, resuming in mid-October? If so, will the Government give a public explanation for this extraordinary decision? Will the announcement include details of the apparent formal alliance between Labor and Liberal in this Assembly?
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, it is probably more appropriate if I respond to Mr Collaery's question, as I have recently written to Mr Kaine about the Assembly's sitting pattern. In answer to Mr Collaery's question, I think he would be aware that I intend to make a budget statement today and that this statement will be followed by quite an intensive consultative period, until September, when the budget is brought into the Assembly. I am hoping that the consultation process will include the other parties in the Assembly.
In addition to the fact that Ministers would have only limited time to devote to that public consultation process if the Assembly were sitting, I believe that a slight delay in the sitting at the moment will allow all Ministers to involve themselves very closely in the Government's legislation program for the remainder of the year.
I should also point out that the Commonwealth budget, which I think has been of concern to Mr Collaery and which will be presented in August, is not a matter that requires an immediate response from the ACT Legislative Assembly, although it is, of course, a matter which we would need to take into account in our consideration of our ACT budget.
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