Page 509 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 1991
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MR HUMPHRIES: "In crisis" is another exaggerated term. What we are doing is providing resources in a fashion which enables people to take the best advantage. I think that it is quite ridiculous to describe that as a crisis. Mr Moore says either that he has had personal experience of increased waiting times or that people have told him that they have had increased waiting times. I certainly would not like that to be the case, but bear in mind that with regional centres it is obviously possible for a lot more people to want to use the services. And this is the point of what I said before: Now that more people are having access to services as a result of those changes it is possible that there would be more demand on those services.
I am prepared to look at the question of waiting times to see whether there has been an explosion in that problem in recent times. It is certainly the case that we want to make sure that those services are accessible, and that means giving people reasonably short waiting times, if possible. Mr Moore might have been mistaken in assuming that the 23 centres were closed because, as I indicated in my answer to his earlier question, 40 of the 59 health clinics operated for three hours a week or less. Obviously, some of those remaining 19 clinics would be operating on the regional basis that I mentioned before. So, one cannot assume that 23 have closed. For the exact number, I would have to get back to him. But, of course, that changes very frequently from time to time. In fact, a number of baby health clinics closed while Mr Berry was Minister for Health, and they have closed from time to time. So, if he wants to set a date from which I can say that a particular change has occurred, I am very happy to get back to him on that.
Thermal Insulation in New Buildings
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Chief Minister, Mr Kaine. Twelve months ago you, as Minister responsible for the environment, released a paper entitled "Developing an ACT Strategy for the Response to the Greenhouse Effect". In that paper you committed your Government to require the incorporation of thermal insulation in new buildings. What action have you taken to implement this commitment?
MR KAINE: I am not certain of the status of that requirement, Mr Speaker. It is a stated requirement of the Government and it will be implemented, but I will have to get a report from the people at the appropriate level as to where we are with it.
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