Page 1683 - Week 08 - Thursday, 28 September 1989
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The Liberals have nominated the health services area as one which requires much closer scrutiny than the Labor Party has so far attempted.
Finally, Mr Kaine believes there must be a greater thrust towards privatisation.
On several points of policy the Residents Rally group agrees with the general assertions of the Liberal Party and so will support Budget amendments on the floor of the ACT Assembly.
Now, we heard a whole lot of griping here from both the Liberal Party and the Residents Rally and I have not heard any budget amendments from the floor of the ACT Assembly. But I must say that the lack of a positive input into the budget has been entirely noticeable, and particularly noticeable in your case, Mr Kaine. You took off from the consultative process when you could have had a positive input.
Mr Kaine: I made my positive input and I left because it was a negative activity. You were not there, so you cannot comment.
MR BERRY: As an observer, it demonstrated the lack of commitment to responsible government in the Territory by the Liberal Party in the Territory. I must say that the community services and health budget did, indeed, do well out of the consultative process, and I think that will be proven as time passes.
What I would like to do, Mr Speaker, is to talk briefly about those areas where there have been significant alterations as a result of the budget in the area which my portfolio covers, in the community services area, and where Rosemary Follett announced the additional domestic violence refuge, another important refuge for women. I would hope that Mr Stefaniak would not raise this as a matter to object to, merely as a consequence of its being a facility for women. It was a Labor election commitment, and the $142,000 allocated to it will secure short-term accommodation for women in order to allow them more time to consider long-term options. I think it was a commendable addition to community services in the Territory.
There will be improved 24-hour access at Woden Valley Hospital for mentally disabled persons. I should say that Mr Collaery complained about the consultative process as well, but his views were taken into account in the development of the community services and health budget, particularly in relation to the application of the budget to the mentally ill. Improved 24-hour access at the Woden Valley Hospital for mentally disabled persons will proceed, and further options for people with mental disabilities will be investigated.
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