Page 651 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 23 March 1993
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MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.53): The Government's program is about fulfilling our election promises and remaining true to our commitment to the people of the ACT. I think that one of the most important things to happen in recent times is the rejection of the economic rationalist policies that were planned for us by the Liberals nationally. I refer to the divisive nature of their package of promises to the people of Australia - a package which, I am pleased to say, they will never deliver. We will be able to work instead with a government which is creating a more socially just society. I saw the inherent criticism in Mr Kaine's speech about issues of a social nature. That is where a Labor government shows a very stark contrast to that of the conservatives opposite. We see as an integral part of our approach to government the development of a more socially just society - something that the Liberals are not able to come to grips with, as has been recently demonstrated.
In the 1992 ACT election campaign many promises and commitments were made. We did not attempt to buy votes or dream up grandiose schemes, or come up with those divisive plans that the Liberals have become infamous for. We have made very good ground on moving to fulfil all of the promises that we made to the people of the ACT. Labor's responsible attitude to government here has guaranteed that the people of Canberra will not be disillusioned by government. That is the difference between us and those opposite.
Major legislation from my portfolio area that we plan to introduce in the sitting period includes legislation relating to the Independent Health Complaints Unit. That issue, brushed aside by Mr Kaine, is something which many people in the community, concerned about the social issues surrounding health delivery, have supported for many years. There will be amendments to the registration Acts relating to various health professionals. As promised, podiatrists and psychologists will be registered. All of these legislative changes will be achieved in the term in which we said they would.
Amendments to the tobacco products health warnings legislation, ACT food legislation, amendments to the long service leave Act and the Boxing Control Bill are important pieces of legislation. Mr Kaine brushed aside the Boxing Control Bill. That legislation is very important to mothers whose sons and daughters might be involved in organised boxing events. It is important to mothers and fathers who would be concerned about what might happen to their children if there were no boxing control. It is Labor that has done it again.
Our commitment to an Independent Health Complaints Unit is well known. The legislation, once passed, will guarantee the rights of health consumers. Likewise, our longstanding commitment to register those health professionals will be fulfilled. The amendment to the Tobacco Products (Health Warnings) Act is, of course, part of a national campaign to toughen the health warnings on cigarette packets. That has not always been the view taken by conservatives. They would rather let the market sort these matters out. If we waited for the market to do it, it would never get done. We have to continue with our thrust to provide better health out there in the community. We just cannot sit and wait for it to happen, or let the market decide. That is the approach that the Liberals would take. The ACT will definitely proceed along this course, despite some signals from those conservatives that I have mentioned that they might reconsider their stand on the issue.
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