Page 1659 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 18 May 1994
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or for the magistrate or for the legal aid lawyer to say that this is the treatment option that should occur. We rely on the medical profession and, as the parents of that individual very publicly said, there is a sense of frustration at an inability to be given a clear diagnosis.
MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. The Minister in his answer mentioned the report of the Assembly Social Policy Committee. Considering the urgency of this matter, Minister, I wonder when you are going to respond to the recommendations of that committee regarding mental dysfunction.
MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, it is a very high priority, and I have made that very clear to the Acting Secretary to the Department of Health and the Secretary to the Attorney-General's Department. I have directed them to work very closely together to enable me to bring to Cabinet a package of changes that would allow me to introduce in this Assembly a Bill which, without pre-empting what decision we make in Cabinet, one would hope would reflect the recommendations that have been made by the committee. I have directed those senior officers that that is a high priority. It is not going to happen this week, but I would certainly be wanting to do it as soon as possible. This is an issue that I have felt strongly about for some time. It is an issue that Mr Berry and I were very strong in working together on when we held the respective portfolios. Now that I hold both portfolios, I have made it very clear to my senior officials that it is a top priority to get that in. We have a unanimous report from the Social Policy Committee which gives us the opportunity to put aside some divisive debate on this and get on with the job, and that is what I have instructed the officials to do.
Belconnen Community Company
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Chief Minister. As the Chief Minister is probably aware, the Belconnen Community Company went into liquidation recently due to a lack of government support. Noting the uncharacteristic swiftness with which the Chief Minister acted in order to find an extra $10,000 for Mr Berry, will she act as swiftly to help organisations that assist the unemployed?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr De Domenico for the question because it allows me to put straight what could be some misconceptions around this matter. The Belconnen Community Company has, regrettably, ceased operations and they are under the control of a provisional liquidator at the moment. The organisation receives some 70 per cent of its funding from the Commonwealth Government - that is altogether $146,500 - and from the ACT Government it receives $60,000.
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