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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1675 ..


MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

workers compensation. Another is to exclude claims by prisoners and perpetrators of violent crime. A third is to limit claims to those arising from an act of violence which can be defined more precisely than is presently the case in New South Wales. I think we need to look at those sorts of devices, Mr Speaker. In my opinion, we also ought to exclude from eligibility for compensation people who have caused their own injury through some act. I hope that the Assembly can contribute in a positive way to a debate on how we can prevent compensation from being awarded to people who, in the view of most people, do not deserve compensation.

Detoxification Facility

MS FOLLETT: I have a question for Mrs Carnell in her capacity as Minister for Health and Community Care. Minister, in relation to the proposed siting of a detoxification facility in Ainslie, I ask: Firstly, what are the procedures and level of community consultation applied before detoxification centres are located in residential areas? Secondly, how do you intend to deal with what is now emotive opposition to a proposed centre in Ainslie that has been generated by the inefficiency in your department and your own inaction? Thirdly, will you give an undertaking that there will be no occupation of the site until consultation has taken place and the reasonable concerns of residents have been addressed?

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much for the question. Ms Follett, I think that every member of this Assembly has a number of letters with regard to the relocation of Arcadia House. Members will be aware that Arcadia House is run by ADD Inc., Assisting Drug Dependants Inc., which is an entity funded by the ACT Government. ADD Inc. is funded to provide a detoxification centre in Canberra. Currently, detoxification is done at Arcadia House, which is located at Duntroon in a Housing Trust house. It is a weatherboard house that was built in the 1940s and is in need of major maintenance. The house is very cold in winter, and that adds to the running costs of the facility. In June 1995 ADD Inc. applied to ACT Housing for an alternative site, largely because of the problems of the house but also because the NCPA were in the process of redeveloping the Morshead Drive site between Parkes Way and Duntroon. The NCPA have indicated that, on completion of this work, the site that Arcadia House is now on will become public recreation space and therefore they would like to get rid of the house altogether. It became obvious to ADD Inc. that they would need other accommodation. As I said, in June last year they applied to ACT Housing for an alternative site. An alternative site in inner North Canberra was approved by the Commissioner for Housing on 21 July 1995.

Mr Speaker, the approach that was taken, I understand, was that it was important for this facility, if possible, to be in a residential area and it was important for it to be fairly close to the CBD. I want to assure everybody that, in undertaking community consultation relating to the location of these sorts of facilities, every opportunity is being taken to consult with the community and to respond both to community concerns and to individuals' concerns. In this particular case, community consultation has occurred in


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