Page 4170 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 23 October 1991
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gather that Tuggeranong is the area that is least catered for. Of course, there should be expanded special rehabilitation services for those disabled by accidents, and again I am assuming that a lot of those accidents are the result of the kinds of problems related to alcohol.
I want to concentrate, in my short time on this matter, on one particular area that the trustees of this fund could usefully look at, and that is the question of proclaimed places. I know that the entire ALP Labor Government is interested in and concerned about this question of proclaimed places. I would like to argue that one group in the community that puts us all at risk is alcoholics, or near alcoholics - people who are troubled by alcohol - who, when so troubled, often drive and endanger the rest of the community. There are many things that ought to be done in that regard. So, if I could move in one direction only - and I leave it to others to suggest what programs they might like to argue for in relation to the money that will come to us through the NRMA - I would like it to be this one.
At the moment we have Ainslie Village; and in Ainslie Village there are about 250 people with a range of problems, certainly not limited to problems of alcoholism; there are other problems. But I was very aware of - and quite shocked in some ways to see - some of the things that are necessarily taken on by Ainslie Village, including one hostel area of people dying from alcoholism. There is another hostel area for young people, and there are alcohol related problems in connection with those young people.
In talking to the people at Ainslie Village, both management and staff, it was my impression that they had one particular request. It was not to expand their own facilities; that was not the plea that they were making. They were making a plea for help in trying to reach the problems of alcoholism in the place where that occurs. For example, the request was made for a proclaimed place, or proclaimed places, for alcoholics in Civic - and not only in Civic; there are other parts of Canberra where there are particular problems.
So, I would want strongly to argue this afternoon that the Government do its best to create as large a fund as possible; keep us in touch on that trust fund and on its trustees, and ask for our advice and help in connection with those trustees; and ask the entire Assembly to be involved with projects that can be related to this trust fund. In particular, the one that I am putting forward - and I hope that everyone will put their own forward - is a proclaimed place, or places, for 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 people, preferably in the - - -
Mr Berry: You have a short memory.
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