Page 4114 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
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Follett budget of last year, one of the initiatives which were rejected by the Alliance Government in January when the furphy was put around that the money had already been spent elsewhere. This was shown to be a furphy by recent events. Clearly this would have happened from January had it not been for the decision of the Alliance Government. We welcome it happening; but we place on record that this was an initiative of the Follett Government, as were improved psychiatric facilities at the Belconnen Remand Centre, another initiative dumped by the Alliance Government in January.
MR HUMPHRIES (Minister for Health, Education and the Arts) (11.46), in reply: Mr Speaker, in rising to close this debate it is appropriate to respond to some of the issues that have been raised by some of the speakers. As the Government, our approach to mental health is founded, as in all areas, on a commitment to consultation with the community and, in this area, with mental health practitioners. Representatives in both these areas come together in the Mental Health Advisory Committee. Earlier this year, that committee agreed to a set of 11 top priorities, at my request. I want to highlight the progress in regard to the top three of those 11 priorities. Obviously it is important to set priorities where there are limited resources. (Quorum formed)
The first priority which the Government indicated and the community felt ought to be followed was to fully open beds at Woden Valley Hospital, that is, Ward 12B. Ward 12B has a full 32 beds open at this stage and they have basically been available since Easter. The second was the establishment of a review of legislation on mental health, to which Mr Jensen referred, and I should point out that Mr Berry made some promises on this subject when Minister. He said on 24 May:
We have made a commitment to review the Mental Health Ordinance and I will begin this process as soon as possible.
However, in the seven months that followed, nothing actually happened - another non-achievement of the Follett Government. (Quorum formed)
Mr Deputy Speaker, calling for quorums is a very unfortunate precedent. Obviously those opposite are afraid of what I am going to say about mental health, because they know that their own record in this area is not as attractive as has frequently been portrayed in the media.
Mr Jensen: Misrepresentation, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, Mr Jensen. The fact of life is that, despite the promises of a review of the Mental Health Act, in the seven months following that promise, nothing was done. In contrast, this Government got the review up and running within a matter of weeks of coming into office.
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