Page 466 - Week 02 - Thursday, 14 May 1992
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MR MOORE: I wish to ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. In your answer, Mr Berry, you suggested that all students will still have access to, and that their needs will be met by, the School Dental Service. How, then, do you intend to ensure that children whose parents cannot easily transport them to these cluster groups that you are talking about will be able to have assistance?
MR BERRY: Already the children from private schools travel to the public dental clinics. Arrangements are made at the school base for people to travel from those schools to public, Territory schools where the service is provided.
Mr Moore: But parents are being told that it is their responsibility. They are being told, "You get the kids there". What if they do not have a car?
MR BERRY: If you have any instances where people cannot get to these clinics because they do not have the money to get there or - - -
Mr Moore: They just will not go, Wayne.
MR BERRY: Do not wave the flag around unless you have instances. If you can show me some evidence that there is something wrong out there, I will give you an undertaking that I will take a close look at it.
Mr Moore: A close look at it? That is a great undertaking.
MR BERRY: No, hang on a minute. Here we go again, waving the flag around, seizing on the emotions, and not delivering the goods. It is all care, no responsibility Michael Moore; that is what it is. We want some evidence from you. I am happy to look at evidence and do something to fix it, but I am not going to respond to having the flag waved around just on sheer emotion.
Anabolic Steroids
MRS GRASSBY: My question also is to the Minister for Health. What action is the ACT Government taking against the use of illegal anabolic steroids, as reported in the media lately? Will our Government be doing something about this?
MR BERRY: The Follett Labor Government deplores the use of drugs to achieve an advantage in sport. We have seen some great sports stars dragged down by the use of drugs, and it has always seemed to me to be a great pity. The uncontrolled and unsupervised use of performance-enhancing substances and methods is obviously dangerous to health, and it is an insult to the whole ethos of sport and healthy competitive activity.
The Commonwealth established the Australian Sports Drug Agency Act in 1990. This Act enables the agency to test sportspeople for banned substances and methods, according to a list approved by the International Olympic Committee. The ACT Government is currently preparing a proposal for complementary legislation which would enable the Australian Sports Drug Agency to use its powers and carry out its functions within the ACT and on ACT athletes. Similar consideration is being given in other States as well. The agency then would be
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