Page 4506 - Week 15 - Thursday, 22 November 1990
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in this country. They are, of course, important for the people of the ACT, as has been mentioned by the health Minister, because of the impact of the illnesses that occur as a result of ultraviolet exposure and which need to be dealt with within our hospital system.
It is, first of all, more important that preventative measures are implemented, and I am happy to see that the Government is promoting awareness in the education system. I hope it promotes the same awareness and acceptance of the danger to workers in the workplace. It is, of course, a matter that most employers now endorse, and most unions now pursue protection for workers who work in the danger of open sunlight.
Some employers have a different approach from that of others. Some take the view that they provide the protection for workers while they are in the workplace and that that protection should not be worn outside the workplace. I think that is a fairly narrow-minded view, because after all the effects of exposure to ultraviolet light end up resulting in some form of illness which, statistically anyway, results in time lost at work. I think employers at government and private sector levels ought to promote and contribute to the provision of safety equipment for the prevention of those sorts of illnesses and encourage its use whether or not it is worn at work or afterwards.
One of the things that result from exposure to ultraviolet rays is surgery, and in the few moments that I want to spend on this matter I want to take the Minister back to his hospital waiting lists again. I want to point to the waiting list for plastic surgery. We know that skin cancers have a disfiguring effect and often require plastic surgery. The Government's atrocious handling of the hospital system has resulted in the highest waiting lists for plastic surgery since 1986, according to the figures handed out by the Government. It is a scandalous position when people who have been disfigured because of ultraviolet exposure may have to wait a long period of time for treatment in relation to any disfigurement that occurs. I will conclude on that note, but I will also - - -
Mr Jensen: How many cases, Wayne?
MR BERRY: If you want it read into the record you should have got it from the Minister.
Mr Jensen: No, for that particular problem.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Jensen!
MR BERRY: There are 221 people waiting for plastic surgery of all varieties.
Mr Jensen: You did not answer my question.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
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