Page 2786 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 20 October 1992

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(B) is a fit and proper person to supply or administer methadone; and

(f) any determined fee has been paid;'.

Approval - renewal

7. Section 158 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting subsection (2) and substituting the following subsection:

'(2) An application for the renewal of an approval shall -

(a) be in writing;

(b) be lodged with the Board; and

Madam Speaker, the first amendment inserts proposed clause 3A after clause 3 of the Bill. It proposes the insertion of subsections (2) and (3) in section 59 of the Act. New subsection 59(2) will enable the Minister to determine a maximum price for the supply and administration of methadone, and new subsection 59(3) makes such determination of the maximum price of methadone by the Minister a disallowable instrument. Consequently, a determination will have no effect if it fails to satisfy the notification and tabling requirements of section 10 of the Subordinate Laws Act 1989 and it will be subject to scrutiny and disallowance in the Assembly.

Mr Humphries: He really has his heart in this one.

MR BERRY: They have a bit of a joke about this, but this just shows how inadequate their entire approach to this matter has been and how light on the committee's report in relation to this matter has been throughout the process.

The second amendment proposes the insertion of clause 6 after clause 5 of the Bill. Clause 6 amends section 150 of the Act relating to the approval of persons to conduct a treatment centre. The amendments in proposed subparagraph 150(1)(e)(i) require the Board of Health to be satisfied as to the appropriateness of the location of a proposed treatment centre at which it is proposed to supply or administer methadone, having regard to the locations of existing treatment centres, the number of persons likely to be referred to or to use the treatment centre and its proximity to residential premises. It is intended that treatment centres be geographically distributed throughout the Territory to improve accessibility to those who use them, but without undue disturbance to residential amenity.

The amendments in proposed subparagraph 150(1)(e)(ii) require the Board of Health to be satisfied that any person who would supply or administer methadone at a proposed treatment centre has satisfactorily completed a course of instruction and is a fit and proper person to administer or supply methadone. The power in the Act to impose conditions on an approval will be utilised to ensure that methadone is administered only in accordance with the highest standards as decided by the board.

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