Page 2652 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 October 1992
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MRS CARNELL (10.52): I will speak just very briefly, really to back up what Mr Moore has said about the report. I think the feeling of the committee was very positive most of the time. I will not speak about the dissenting report today. I do not think that is appropriate. There were, I think, six witnesses and nine submissions. The committee went to Sydney and spoke to the people who are really leading in this field. The committee has done a lot of reading and a lot of work outside the actual committee process.
I think the really positive feeling was a general feeling that we would be able, with this report, to lead in the area of methadone distribution; that we would be able to make the ACT and ACT health the envy of other States. I believe that the 12 recommendations in this report go a long way to creating a situation where the ACT really will be out in front. How does it do this? It does it quite simply. It does it by responding to the needs of the patients and not to the needs of the system or to the government of the day.
It was said to us regularly by the various people that we speak to that we have to normalise methadone treatment; that we have to treat people who are on the methadone program as we treat other users of our health system. We have to treat them as people who have rights, as people who have a goal in their treatment. That goal may be different, as it is in other forms of health treatment. For some of them the goal is to be totally free of methadone and all other drugs at some stage. For others the goals are somewhat different, and they stretch over a very large area. I am very proud of the recommendations in this report, and I urge the Government to take note.
MRS GRASSBY (10.54): I do not want to get down into the gutter like Mr Moore did and - - -
Mr Moore: You are already there, Ellnor.
MRS GRASSBY: Obviously, when you do not agree with Mr Moore, he gets very nasty. We know that. Mr Moore, you had better know that it is not defamatory under the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act, section 24. I suggest that you look it up. Obviously, you do not know it all. I checked that all out. I am not that stupid.
I would also like to say that, as for bandying Mr Aliprandi's name around in this house, I think it is a bit unkind. After all, enough damage has already been done to him by another member in this house. I think it is very unkind and unfair. What you say about us is fine, Mr Moore. We are paid to take as much abuse - - -
Mr Moore: Under section 24 you are protected. What about the secretariat? It is okay. "I am okay, thanks, mate".
Ms Follett: Do not debate.
MRS GRASSBY: The secretariat is protected too. You are right, Chief Minister; I should not be answering, really. It is not worth it. It is all right for us to take abuse; after all, we are paid for it. As for people outside, I think it is very unfair. I think Mr Moore is being very unfair in doing this; but then, that is his choice.
Mrs Carnell: What do you think you have just said about pharmacists? Care and attentiveness.
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