Page 5244 - Week 16 - Thursday, 28 November 1991
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reason for a bit more flexibility. That was certainly my view, which I expressed to the organisation when I went through the premises some three or four months ago. I did write to Mr Howe, and Mr Howe said that he would stick to the guidelines.
Counselling Services
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Minister for Housing and Community Services, Mr Connolly, although I recognise that some aspects of it relate to the portfolio of the Minister for Health. It relates to the many families in the Australian Capital Territory currently afflicted by events in the Balkans and in Timor, particularly those with relatives missing, displaced, injured or, sadly, deceased. I ask the Minister whether these people will receive some degree of support in their grief, in terms of the counselling that is required, through the community services and health agencies. I ask whether the Minister will be sympathetic to those program needs and can address them appropriately.
MR CONNOLLY: I thank Mr Collaery for his question. We see these events on our television screens and we think they are far removed from safe, secure Canberra. But, of course, they are not. There are Canberra families who are involved in these tragic events. There are a range of programs across my portfolio and Mr Berry's portfolio and with community organisations, the Ethnic Communities Council in particular, that provide counselling and support services. Tragically, they are being called upon, because these events, though they are happening far from our shores, are impacting in our community, as Mr Collaery rightly points out. So, yes, tragically, there is call on those services which, as I say, spread across a range of portfolios.
Royal Canberra Hospital - Furniture
MR JENSEN: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Health, Mr Berry. He may like to make some notes on this. I refer the Minister to an incident at 3.25 pm on 13 November 1991, when a Wards scrap metal vehicle was at the Royal Canberra Hospital on Acton Peninsula removing furniture. Can the Minister confirm that this furniture was being taken to Wagga for auction? If so, why was the furniture not being sold by auction in Canberra? Why was it not possible for the furniture to be used as an interim measure to enable the obstetrics ward at the Woden Valley Hospital to be fully opened?
MR BERRY: The question was fully answered a couple of weeks ago.
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