Page 3527 - Week 13 - Thursday, 26 November 1992
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operational in 1999; hence the year 2000 is about the time that this land would become available to us. The Department of Defence is to confirm the actual land to become available and the timetable for release. I understand that the whole of the defence land in Belconnen will be degazetted as national land upon the relocation of the existing facility. Any costs to the ACT Government for this land are yet to be negotiated.
Methadone Clinic
MRS CARNELL: My question is to the Minister for Health. The Minister will be aware by now that a hidden camera was installed and used for several weeks without patient consent or knowledge at Woden Valley Hospital methadone clinic. If he is not, I have the memo here. I refer the Minister to his comments this morning specifically about the importance of privacy and human rights - something with which I totally concur. Taking into account these comments, will the Minister condemn the use of secret video camera surveillance in the toilet sampling area at the clinic, and will he guarantee that this appalling attitude to human rights will not pervade his expanded public methadone program?
MR BERRY: Will the member be patient when a question has been put on notice and wait for the answer?
Mrs Carnell: This is a different question.
MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico asked me a question the other day in relation to this matter, Madam Speaker.
Mrs Carnell: Last week.
Mr Kaine: It is not the same question.
Mr De Domenico: And we knew the answer before you did.
MR BERRY: I would not expect you to ask a question unless you knew the answer, Mr De Domenico. Madam Speaker, I will give, first of all, the response to Mr De Domenico's question. It probably answers most of the issues that were raised by Mrs Carnell. A monitoring camera, I am informed, has been installed in the toilet at the methadone clinic at Woden Valley Hospital after lengthy consultation with clients. All clients - this is my advice - were notified about the proposed change several months before its introduction and the matter has been discussed - - -
Mr Humphries: That is not what we have heard.
Mr De Domenico: Be careful what you say.
MR BERRY: I am not in the least bit concerned about it. The matter was discussed at a staff-client forum before the camera was put into use. When the camera system was put into operation clients were notified personally. In addition, clients also have been reminded that they may elect to request a treatment program option which does not include supervised urine screening, if they wish. The camera, which makes no recordings, was installed to provide a more efficient and less obtrusive means of ensuring that program clients
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