Page 1864 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 19 August 1992
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The Federal Government will legislate to clarify patients' rights. Complementary legislation will be introduced in the States and Territories. The ACT Government - this was one of our major election promises - is working to establish an independent health complaints unit. This will further strengthen patients' rights. The ACT will also benefit from $6.1m worth of funding for area health management. Canberra is part of and provides health services to the south-east region.
A further $118.6m is provided for capital planning and development. This will encourage future spending on infrastructure according to community needs. Clinical budgeting will receive a $6m boost over three years to investigate ways of a more cost-effective use of resources. The Federal Government will support studies into casemix with a $10.8m allocation over the next five years. The ACT Government has long given its support to casemix development. Quality assurance will receive $200,000 in 1992-93 and $3.1m over the following two years. The ACT Government supports quality assurance and this will complement our independent complaints unit, once established. The Federal Government will establish a national health communications network to exchange health information. This will receive $3m in 1992-93 and $4m in 1993-94.
Madam Speaker, the ACT Government is committed to improving mental health services. The Federal Government will provide $135m over the next six years to implement the national mental health policy. The States will be provided with $107m to speed up the pace of mental health reforms. This will be based on a guarantee from the States and Territories that funding will be maintained in real terms. The National Health and Medical Research Council will receive $5m for additional research into the causes of mental illness. The Government has also provided $68.3m for general practice initiatives. The ACT is supporting the establishment of an ACT division of general practice. The Government will continue to support the national campaign against drug abuse.
The budget is good for Canberra. There is no question about that. It strengthens the universal health care system. Among all of the things that my colleagues have said this afternoon, the health system ranks as important; but it ranks in importance along with all of those other issues which will be bolstered by the Federal budget. Madam Speaker, universal access to health care is the fairest option. This budget promotes it and moves to end discrimination based on economic status. By any measure, that is a good result.
MADAM SPEAKER: The discussion is concluded.
TRUSTEE COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992
Debate resumed from 25 June 1992, on motion by Mr Connolly:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MS SZUTY (5.25): Madam Speaker, the Trustee Companies (Amendment) Bill 1992 deals with an area of the law with which most people do not become familiar until after the death of a loved one, at a particularly stressful time. It is an area of the law which is often seen as being too difficult for most people to come to terms with, but I feel that this is why there has been an impetus for change. The decision to allow people to seek and contract for professional
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