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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4590 ..

MR MOORE: I am sure Mr Berry would be happy to help Mrs Carnell make the decision not to be Health Minister as well. Should there be a new Minister, it just makes very clear the responsibilities in the legislation. I think we should be relaxed about allowing things in legislation that in one sense are repetitive but in another sense make it easy to read.

In no way does that take away from my support for the legislation. Mr Speaker, I think it is very important that we have this sort of protection in place, but it is also important that the Assembly keep an eye on what other forms of diseases are prescribed. The process is in place; but, of course, that is much more difficult when legislation is brought before the Assembly in the same fashion that this Bill has been brought before the Assembly.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Minister for Health and Community Care) (11.42), in reply: Mr Speaker, I thank the Assembly for their support on this legislation. This legislation obviously became necessary a little while ago. As has already been said, testing for conditions or diseases has significantly improved since 1985. Certainly, there have been intensive developments in blood testing technology since that time. I think it is very important to ensure that legal protection exists when blood is tested for such things as HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human T cell lymphoma, viruses 1 and 2, and syphilis, and, potentially, other conditions in the future.

The Bill has been developed to expand the protection provided by this Act to include those transmittable blood-borne diseases that are tested for by the Australian Red Cross Society. The Red Cross Society believed it was really important for this legislation to be in place. They certainly have been very supportive of putting it into this house. The same sort of legislation exists in other States, to ensure that the same sort of protection occurs where testing for those sorts of conditions exists. We believe it is an appropriate way to go. We believe it protects the Australian Red Cross Society when they do the right thing and test appropriately. It certainly in no way removes liability when the appropriate techniques are not followed. I think that is a good balance, Mr Speaker, and it is one that this legislation achieves. I would like to thank all those in the Assembly for their support for this important piece of legislation.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

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