Page 2888 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 August 1990
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MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mrs Nolan for the question. I know that her interest in this matter is very much tied up with her work on the committee inquiring into AIDS, drugs and prostitution. There are currently some 83 places on the ACT methadone program. The program is vigorously controlled and involves a relatively high degree of intervention. It is one of the most effective programs in Australia, I believe, although I will be waiting with some interest to see whether that is also the view of the committee that Mr Moore chairs.
The ACT Government acknowledges that there is a need to expand methadone places, particularly in light of the harm minimisation role in methadone. Officers of the community health services are currently examining the various options for increasing the availability of methadone, including establishing a private sector program. Decisions as to the most appropriate methods for expansion will be made after the costs and benefits of the various options have been considered. I recognise the value of methadone programs in reducing the spread of HIV amongst intravenous drug users who use heroin. However, methadone programs cannot minimise the risk of HIV infection amongst intravenous drug users who use drugs other than heroin. Consequently, officers of the department are actively involved in the development of policies and strategies which will address the spread of HIV infection across the whole range of drugs used by intravenous users.
School Closures
MS FOLLETT: My question is to the Minister for Education. Mr Humphries, will you give a guarantee that those schools which are to be administratively linked in 1991 under your proposals will not be closed?
Mr Kaine: What do you mean - to 1999 or 2000?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Ms Follett: While you are still in government, obviously.
MR HUMPHRIES: Ms Follett has qualified her question in a most profound way after sitting down. Given the nature of that qualification, obviously I can provide a guarantee in this case. The Government has considered and has outlined its plans in respect of those schools. It is not our intention to close any more schools than those that have been announced. I will say that we are very much prepared to work with the community in this regard. I have indicated very clearly that in particular, in the case of the twinning proposals for schools, there will be certain pressures placed on schools that are twins to achieve a certain level of savings. Those schools will have to assess how fruitful they find that arrangement. If they do
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