Page 4848 - Week 16 - Thursday, 29 November 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
last, and it is unfortunate that there has to be a separate focus which, in my memory, is a fair way down the track. It seems to me that the approach to dealing with AIDS has, in some respects, been discriminatory; nevertheless, it is worthwhile that this year we have a focus on women. After all, it is the actions of the Government in dealing with people living with AIDS which will lead to some containment of the epidemic and, of course, that containment has to do with all people.
The Labor Opposition welcomes any further government actions which will assist people living with AIDS. Of course, the discrimination area is a most important one because in this Territory we have regrettably seen reports and heard reports from people who have used our health systems and made allegations about discrimination because they were living with AIDS. It happened whilst I was the Minister for Health in the ACT, and at the time I hoped that there would be no future cause for anybody to allege that there was that sort of discrimination. It seems, at least from the lack of any further reports of any allegations, that the likelihood of that occurring in our hospital system has diminished, and I would - - -
Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I think Mr Berry is again wandering on to the things that you ruled to be irrelevant in the previous debate. If they were irrelevant in the previous debate, then they are just as irrelevant in this debate, and I ask you to bring him into line.
MR SPEAKER: I must admit that, from what I can gather, we are talking about the topic of AIDS in hospitals.
MR BERRY: Yes, discrimination in hospitals.
Mr Humphries: He is talking about discrimination in hospitals. What has that to do with AIDS?
MR BERRY: I am talking about the people with AIDS.
MR SPEAKER: I think that is appropriate. Please proceed, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: I welcome any efforts in the hospital system which is under your stewardship, sir, which prevent any further allegations of discrimination against people living with AIDS.
Regrettably, it occurred while I was Minister, and I understood that action was taken to remedy the situation. If the likelihood of it occurring again has diminished, you are to be congratulated. The fact of the matter - - -
Mr Humphries: There is a trick there somewhere.
MR BERRY: He is a trusting soul; is he not a beauty? We will get on to those other matters later. Of course, I have talked - - -
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .