Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 504 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

There are currently about five women booked to give birth on the program who have indicated that they would like to give birth at home, if possible. Given the current low transfer rate to hospital of women giving birth at home in the ACT, which is only 10 per cent, it is not expected that there will be a large demand on any hospital or other medical services. The director of emergency ambulance services has been consulted about any impact on these services, and his advice is that ambulance officers will always respond appropriately and do have the required competencies to manage childbirth and the newborn.

One of the problems we had earlier was getting doctors who were willing to be part of the homebirth project. That has been addressed, and it is anticipated that the option of homebirth will be available at the end of March 1996, pending the finalisation of the process of consultation on the policies and protocol for women giving birth at home that are currently being developed by the community midwives and their senior managers.

MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (3.39): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move the motion concerning surveillance cameras in Civic that has been circulated in my name.

Leave granted.

MS FOLLETT: I move:

That:

(1) The Government take no action to install surveillance cameras in Civic until such time as the Assembly has considered the issue; and

(2) The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs inquire into the efficacy of surveillance cameras in preventing crime, and the implications of such action for the community, and report to the Assembly by the first sitting day in September 1996.

My reasons for moving this motion are several; but, overwhelmingly, my concern is that we are about to see a major change made in the security arrangements in our community without, in my view, adequate community consultation and without adequate consideration of the issue by this Assembly. It seems to me that the introduction of surveillance cameras into Civic is an issue that has the potential to affect virtually our entire population in the Territory, and it is certainly an issue that affects the privacy of those people.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .