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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4841 ..

MS TUCKER: The legal advice is that - - -

MR SPEAKER: No, you have asked your question. Would you like to ask a supplementary question?

MS TUCKER: My supplementary question is: As Legal Aid has advised that parents should not sign this agreement, will the Minister guarantee that this legal advice recommending, I repeat, that people do not sign this agreement is forwarded to all parents and guardians who have family members in the program?

MRS CARNELL: Again, it is very hard for me to make a comment without having read the legal advice that we are talking about. My experience on legal advice is that you can get lots of different pieces of legal advice. On my briefing on this matter, I have to say that I believe that it really has been a lack of understanding of what those agreements really mean, but there has not been any effort by Disability Services to try to undermine the rights, or whatever, of people with disabilities entering into these houses. It has been about trying to make sure everyone knows exactly where they stand in this sort of an agreement. I understand that negotiations are still continuing to ensure that an agreement that everybody is comfortable with can be achieved. I am confident that that will continue.

I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, in question time Mr Corbell asked me whether the head of the Attorney-General's Department had issued a direction in respect of Ambulance Service officers not making a statement about the incident on Sunday. I am advised that no such direction was issued to the ACT Ambulance Service.

MR SPEAKER: I present, for the information of members, Auditor-General's Report No. 12 of 1997, entitled "Financial Audits with Years Ending to 30 June 1997".

Motion (by Mr Humphries, by leave) agreed to:

That the Assembly authorises the publication of Auditor-General's Report No. 12 of 1997.

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