Page 1890 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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As I say, this is one of the things the Council on the Ageing came up with when I spoke to them, and they felt that something along that line should be put into the Bill. I am sure the Minister will see this and I am sure that it can be done. I am only bringing up what the Council on the Ageing has said. As always, we speak to everybody that a Bill affects. If the Minister had done so, he would have got that notice. If the Minister would like me to table the letter from the Council on the Ageing about this, I am quite happy to do it.
Mr Duby: I am quite familiar with the letter from the Council on the Ageing.
MRS GRASSBY: Fine. On page 6 of the Bill, proposed section 21BAB(1) refers to 14 days. It should be three months. This is because, when people have problems with the Department of Social Security and are taken off a benefit for the wrong reason, it normally takes about three months for the problems to be fixed. This would also save paperwork and administration. That is another part that they brought up.
There were some general comments from ACTCOSS which should be talked about. These are all in the letter from ACTCOSS. I understand that a letter was sent to Mr Duby in the first place. He has a copy of it. As for some of the other comments made by the Council on the Ageing, I understand that they were to write to the Minister. If not, I am quite happy for the Minister to have a copy of the letter that they wrote back to me.
Other than those things, Mr Speaker, we are not unhappy about the Bill. We do feel that the Minister could have taken these things into account. After all, ACTCOSS and the Council on the Ageing are very large groups in Canberra. They do represent a lot of people and I do not think they should be ignored. In spite of the fact that the Chief Minister does not think they are terribly important, we do think they are very important.
Mr Kaine: What are you talking about, Ellnor?
MRS GRASSBY: Well, you thought that it was not important when I just said that.
Mr Kaine: I did not say that.
MRS GRASSBY: I am sorry; I apologise.
Mr Kaine: I did not say that and I wish you would not assert it.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MRS GRASSBY: I apologise to the Chief Minister, Mr Speaker. I understood from what he said that he felt that their point did not really matter. So I have apologised, Chief Minister.
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