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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1859 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

I am not sure what Healthpact means to the ordinary person in the street. As somebody closely associated with it, I can see what it means; but, to the ordinary person in the street, I do not think it would immediately mean a terrible lot. One day it might have a new embodiment, with something that is a little clearer to those people who see another corporate name; but I suspect that is some time off. Healthpact is now fairly generously funded by the provision of 5 per cent of the tobacco tax. The levels of funding are about $2m per year, and that is a sizeable increase from the model which was first adopted.

One of the concerns that I would have about this organisation, which has grown fairly quickly, I would suggest, is that it needs to demonstrate very clearly to the community that it is producing something of benefit to the community. I had a look at the performance indicators mentioned in the strategic plan. To the reader, it is not clear how the performance of the organisation can be measured. For example, if you take its highest priority in health promotion activity - that is, smoking - one would expect to see the number of smokers in the community mentioned somewhere as a performance indicator for the fund. For example, if the fund has smoking as its high priority for many more years into the future, as it has done in the past, and it consumes $2m, I think the community is entitled to see a reduction in the number of people who are consuming tobacco, as an indicator of good performance from this organisation.

The same would apply in relation to sun protection, nutrition, exercise, mental health, safe behaviours and community access and participation, which are the programs mentioned in the program priorities at page 7. One noticeable area of health promotion missing from that list is inappropriate drug use, though I do note that on page 15 under "Program Priorities" alcohol and drug misuse is mentioned. I raise that specifically because of my concern that strong messages about inappropriate drug use were somewhat lost in the recent debate about the medical availability of opioids and about other moves in relation to previously prohibited substances. It seems to me that, although there are significantly fewer numbers of people affected by alcohol and drug misuse than in some of the other areas, it is a significant health issue in the community and there are sufficient people affected by it to warrant its high priority. The messages have to be strong.

I hope this organisation is able to deliver to the community a better and healthier society for the money that is provided to it. I, for one, will be looking for some performance indicators which clearly demonstrate that the organisation is producing that healthier community which we ask of it for the money which is provided. It is a sizeable amount of Territory revenue which goes to this organisation, and the community deserves to know that it is producing the goods for the community as a whole.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Minister for Health and Community Care) (4.59), in reply: Mr Speaker, I am very proud, and I am sure this whole Assembly is, of Healthpact. I am proud that we have managed to increase the budget as significantly as we have. I am proud to have a board of Healthpact that is being so proactive in an area that, I suppose, in the past often may have taken second position to critical health care, to the treatment of diseases and conditions rather than the prevention of such.

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