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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4711 ..

MRS LITTLEWOOD (continuing):

coming from. I am saying that we need to be credible. With issues such as this which are so important, if there is any loophole at all that someone can criticise, then we are not doing our job. I believe that we have left some loopholes.

I am not asserting that people have not told us the facts as they see them, but we need to prove the facts. If someone says there is a problem, we need to know how many people it impacts on and how often it occurs, not just some vague comments on what has happened. We need to know the facts. I have found in this committee that it has been very hard to get them to come to grips with pulling in the facts. I know that Kerrie Tucker is the self-appointed high priestess of social injustice, but that is okay. I know that she feels very passionately about these issues.

This is a terribly important issue. It is a little sad that the Government will not be able to respond in time. I just hope that my colleagues have not used this report in a political way but, in fact, have done it for proper motives and not just to have a kick at the Government, which I suspect; but anyway I must not say that. Mr Speaker, that really is all that I wish to cover in the area.

I would like to thank Judith Henderson for her time and her efforts. I know that she has put in many hours doing this report. I also thank Fiona Clapin. They have done a great job and I appreciate what they have done. But I do stress that not just in this committee but in other committees we really do need to have the facts and the figures, not just run down a street without knowing exactly where we are going and where we are going to end up.

Debate (on motion by Mr Stefaniak) adjourned.

[COGNATE BILLS:

Debate resumed from 6 November 1997, on motion by Mrs Carnell:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR SPEAKER: Is it the wish of the Assembly to debate this order of the day concurrently with the Health Professions Boards (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 1997 and the Dental Technicians and Dental Prosthetists Registration (Amendment) Bill 1997? There being no objection, that course will be followed. I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 1 they may also address their remarks to orders of the day Nos 2 and 3.

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