Page 105 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 8 April 1992
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We know that the methadone program at the moment is only a part of the general drug strategy in the ACT and that it is not meeting the general needs. That is why we talk about the potential clients. If Mr Berry had felt that he needed a bit more room to move and had wanted to remove the word "all" from the motion because of budgetary constraints, I would have been quite happy. Even commenting in that way in the speech, I imagine, gives Mr Berry room to move, knowing that such a motion cannot be actually binding on a government. However, it is an expression of the will of the Assembly and therefore is to be taken seriously. I accept the difficulty of having the word "all" in the motion and would have accepted such an amendment; but the word "potential" has to remain because of the very people we are trying to reach, the very people we are talking about.
Mr Berry: You are either on the waiting list or not on the waiting list.
MR MOORE: They are the potential clients. Mr Berry interjects, "Either you are on the waiting list or you are not on the waiting list". The point we are trying to make is that, when you operate a methadone program that has a series of different approaches that are much broader than the current methadone program, in fact you will increase the number of clients. It will reach people that the current methadone program does not suit, or does not satisfy, because of the way it operates. That is exactly the point that we are trying to raise; that the methadone program ought to be expanded to meet the needs of the potential clients. Some of the needs of those potential clients, probably quite a few of the needs, will be met by the pharmacy proposal, and that will free more space on the rehabilitation side. That could be part of the rehabilitation program as well. It would allow room for other people to go onto a methadone program in a different way.
As I say, I would be quite happy to remove the word "all" from the motion should you want to put that amendment; but I believe that it is inappropriate to accept the amendment you have put. If you delete the word "potential" and substitute the word "all", I would happily accept that.
Amendment negatived.
Motion agreed to.
HIGH SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
MS SZUTY (12.19): I move:
That the newly elected ACT Labor Government implement at the earliest opportunity a high schools development program.
The Chief Minister has stated that health and education in the ACT will undergo a period of consolidation in this term of her Government. Yet one of the most urgent issues in public education at present remains to be addressed. This is the issue of the introduction of a high schools development program. I have raised this issue at this time because I feel that public high schools in the ACT have waited long enough for action to be taken.
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