Page 765 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 13 April 1994
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Of course, there remains much work to be done because, as a result of the consumption of tobacco and as a result of people folding in front of the lobbying of the tobacco companies, people out there in the community are suffering, and we are paying for it in our system.
The draft Mental Welfare Bill has been introduced into this Assembly. Nobody has been able to address that issue, except Labor. It is in and it will be dealt with in the normal course of events. There has to be mental welfare legislation in the ACT which is an improvement on what currently exists. We know that. While the Moore-Stevenson group and the Liberals flop about over the issue, people are waiting for better care. At least it is on the way. We have achieved that and I think that is a major.
In the area of women's health services, I think we have done well. Our first major achievement was to repeal the Termination of Pregnancy Act and that was welcomed.
Mr Humphries: Yes, and not tell anybody about it beforehand. It was a sly little move.
MR BERRY: It has been a long-standing policy of the party and one which we were widely known to support. There are a few right-to-lifers here who would seek to oppose it. In good conscience I could not sit back and see a situation where ACT women were discriminated against and forced to go interstate for a service which could quite easily be provided in the ACT.
That law was thrown out, and congratulations to everybody who supported the repeal of that legislation. For those who opposed it, shame on you. Shame on you because it is that sort of discrimination which we can well do without out there in the community. There will be a facility in the ACT to provide terminations. The money is there and the work is going ahead. That will happen. It began in a period when there was much reaction out there in the community from a small group who stood up to try to prevent ACT women from having access to that service. It is a sensitive issue, I know; but in good conscience you cannot have a situation where you discriminate against your own community. As a result of this Government's commitment, the Labor Party's commitment, the delivery of those services is changing in the Territory. It would never have happened under the conservatives. Mrs Carnell and her mob flip-flopped all over the place on the issue, trying to grab a cheap political point here and there - on one day, off the next - and we never knew which way they were going.
Madam Speaker, for my part, this has been a pleasure. The job is still in front of the Executive. I have been supported well by all of my Labor colleagues, and I welcome that. The Chief Minister and my former ministerial colleagues were of great support. That does not mean that we always agreed. It is not a Cabinet if you always agree. You have to have a disagreement or two; otherwise it would not be worth going there. You have to work for a decision; otherwise it is not a decision that you would really want to implement. The Cabinet process has been an enjoyable one. I reckon that I might be back there one day. The people that I have worked with have been a joy. Sometimes we have disagreed; some days they have not been as much of a joy as they have been on others, and I suspect that I have been the same. My caucus colleagues have been loyal at all times and still are, and so have my staff.
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