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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (22 September) . . Page.. 2002 ..

MR MOORE: I imagine it is embarrassment over his management of the methadone program.

Mr Berry: It is an insulting answer.

MR MOORE: We are considering putting the same charges on the public program as are currently applied to the community program - that is, $15 per week for somebody using the program other than in the first six months of being involved in the program. So when they come on the program, for the first six months there is no charge. From then on, whether they are in the public program or the private program, there will be a charge.

Mr Berry: You have picked up the dogma pretty quickly, mate.

Ms Carnell: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Berry continues to interject.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Berry continues to interject. If he would like to have a private conversation on this matter outside, we can oblige him.

MR MOORE: We are talking about an equivalent funding of the public program after six months, which is the sort of time you would normally expect somebody to move towards the community program anyway. There are considerable spaces available on the community program. We could transfer people now from the public program to the community program; there are more than 53 spaces available. That would resolve the specific problem that we have at the time. In suggesting that we go through this process, we are also suggesting there be a two-month transition period for people who are currently on the public program, because they have already been on the program for six months.

A final decision has not been made on this issue, Mr Corbell, because I considered it appropriate that the methadone advisory group have an opportunity to consider this and suggest modifications to the program that has come out of the review by Dr Bell. But I do take it seriously. I am embarrassed that it is taking so long, but I will continue to do what I can to improve the situation.

MR CORBELL: I thank the Minister for his answer. By way of a supplementary question, I ask: Minister, do you still stand by your statement that four weeks is too long to wait, and when do you anticipate a decision being made to reduce the seven-week waiting period? I realise you outlined the processes, but when will the decision be made?

MR MOORE: The optimum time, as I see it, for a waiting list is about two weeks. I am seeking to match that goal with a waiting time of around two weeks. That means that people do not just suddenly decide, "Yes, I am on methadone now" - there is time for them to think about it - but, on the other hand, they do not have the problem they have at the moment where six weeks seems too long to try to cope.

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