Page 221 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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I will give you some figures. It is the most effective abstinence-oriented program in Australia - 19 per cent of all clients remain drug free 12 to 24 months after treatment, and 55 per cent of all clients treated are working in some capacity. I think that is an indication that what has been said is not true. It clearly does some good work amongst those people who have difficulties with drugs. No other evaluated program can claim such a high level of effectiveness.
The high intervention format is suited to clients who want active professional involvement in their treatment. Other clients would prefer less involvement with support services. It is a program which is delivering for the ACT. What has not been said by the Liberals is that since Labor came to office the program has been expanded, from around 86 to around 120. That is a fairly major achievement in a short time.
Mrs Carnell: We need 200.
Mr Humphries: We need 200, Wayne.
MR BERRY: I hear the cry from the Opposition, "We need 200". Apparently the Opposition are interested in extra places only if pharmacists can provide the methadone. How much would pharmacists get paid? Nobody has told us that. All of these issues add to what I have said, that it is outrageous for members of this Assembly to come out and attack public institutions because of their privatisation objectives. This is a strong public program which will be preserved in the interests of the community of the ACT.
Silly statements made by members of this Assembly, that the program is no good, just show the lack of experience that the Liberals have on health matters and the lack of experience in being able to come to grips with the delivery of proper public hospital and health services. This lack of experience does them no good, but I have to say that it damages the confidence that people in the ACT have in good programs when they come out and say these sorts of outrageous things. People ought to consider the damage that they are doing, rather than their political aims, by making these sorts of outrageous statements. This is not the most outrageous one that they have ever made, but it goes close to taking the cake.
Business Promotion
MS SZUTY: My question without notice is for the Chief Minister. Could she outline the Government's thinking behind the advertisement, "How to succeed in business without really tiring", which appeared in the Australian on 5 March 1992 and which promoted Canberra as an appropriate place to set up business; and could she explain why calls to her department on the number given in the advertisement, requesting the free information kit, have so far met with no response?
Mr De Domenico: They forgot to turn on the answering machine.
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