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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 1721 ..

Mr Moore: If you need another copy, I will provide you with another copy.

MS TUCKER: I have a copy, Mr Moore. I have not had time to read the whole document. I am sure you will be delighted to leap up and clarify the issue that I am about to raise if you have covered it in your "Setting the Agenda". It is the link between health and the environment. In all areas we have repeated discussion about interagency links and interagency communication. I am not aware of the question of health and the environment having been adequately addressed. We do not see the two sectors being merged. They really need to be, because obviously clean air, clean water and clean soil, how we use pesticides and what is happening with noise in our community have an effect on health. Mr Moore might like to clarify whether that is featured in his "Setting the Agenda". If it is not, then I certainly recommend that he address that issue. It would be a first. The ACT would be fairly significant if we managed to do that successfully. It is not happening across other government departments, as I have already pointed out and as other members have pointed out today, with so much moving into the Chief Minister's Department and things getting broken up. Here is an opportunity for the two Ministers who are sitting here tonight to show the rest of government how you can do it and work together.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health and Community Care) (10.40): Mr Smyth would acknowledge that I have been trying to poach environment from him since the day I took over. It is much more logical for it to be within the health portfolio. What I have done, as a starting point to try to poach as much as I can, since I cannot actually do it, in setting the agenda - - -

Mr Corbell: They will not give you planning, Michael. They will not give you planning.

MR MOORE: I know that. The interjection from Simon Corbell is that they will not give me planning. I do not think there is anybody in this Assembly under any illusion about that. In fact, Mr Corbell, I have a feeling they will probably give it to you before they give it to me.

Specifically on the issue that Ms Tucker has raised, in setting the agenda we have made it clear that we will be seeking World Health Organisation accreditation as a healthy city. Part of that accreditation concerns the way we deal with our environment, so there is an issue there. I am already beginning to move in on Mr Smyth's area as much as I can. More importantly, "Setting the Agenda" is about good partnerships and working in very close partnerships. I have asked my officers who look after environment-health issues to work closely with Mr Smyth's areas. Indeed, Mr Smyth and I have already had some discussions on how we can get officers to work closer and to see whether we can get more innovative ideas to protect health and the environment, environmental health.

As Ms Tucker correctly points out, the issues often overlap and are integrated. That is something that we will work on together. Today Mr Smyth tabled a statement on greenhouse strategy. Quite clearly, I see that as a health issue and have been very supportive of the Government's approach on that. No doubt Ms Tucker will feel it does

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