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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3351 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

That process led to some modifications, some agreed amendments, which the Chief Minister, as Minister for Health, prepared, to ensure that the objects of the Act include these sorts of issues and, further, make the responsibility very clear in the hands of the Chief Health Officer. The Chief Health Officer, under the amendments, will now have to take into account a series of things other than those included in the legislation. The Chief Health Officer, under clause 10, has to report biennially on the health of this Territory. In the initial legislation, that included trends and indicators in health status, public health risks, morbidity, mortality, notifiable conditions and any other appropriate matter.

I think it is important for this Assembly to guide the Chief Health Officer and to make sure that the Chief Health Officer has responsibilities that can be seen by other sections and other departments as well. They should include health promotion activities, harm minimisation activities, access and equity indicators that are relevant to health - it seems to me that all of them are, although I suppose one could argue that there are some obscure ones that might not be - social indicators that are relevant to health, health service performance against minimum standards of care, and intersectoral activities that are relevant to health. Members would be aware, because the amendments have been circulated, that those are among the amendments that will be put by the Chief Minister.

I think the process itself has been a healthy process, and it is what we are after. It is about intersectoral activity, it is about discussions, it is about mediation, it is about ensuring that we get the best possible legislation for this community. It is a process that has been, as far as possible, inclusive. It is with pleasure, therefore, that I will be supporting this legislation in principle. There are also a number of amendments that are to be moved by Ms Tucker and that have gone through the same process, through discussion and concern, balancing our views. I think the outcome in the end will be a very sensible outcome and one that will mean that we have the most advanced public health legislation in Australia. It will be legislation that other States, which are now preparing public health legislation, will be able to look at and ensure that we have, in as many ways as possible, taken into account those World Health Organisation goals that were set out in Ottawa in 1986.

MS TUCKER (5.40): The Greens also will be supporting these Bills. I, too, have been pleased with the process whereby we have been able to work on it with Mr Moore and the Chief Minister. It is very significant legislation and I am really happy with the amendments that have come about, to which Mr Moore has just referred. Mr Moore clearly articulated the importance of public health legislation in the community. I will not repeat what he said, but I certainly support it. I have some amendments to the Bill, which I will put in the detail stage.

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition) (5.41): In the Minister's speech in relation to this Bill I saw reference to the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. I am pleased that Mr Moore has made sure that it is included in the Hansard, because it will be a good reference when people who are really interested take the trouble to look at the debate - poor souls. There will be people who will be interested in stooping to those depths to uncover the reasoning behind some of this legislation, as they research these things in future years.

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