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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 2146 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Mr Speaker, for the interim, while the Assembly considers this Bill, the Government intends to act to forestall premature prosecutions under section 24B by issuing an appropriate directive to the Director of Public Prosecutions. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Ms Tucker) adjourned.

MS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (10.57): Mr Speaker, I present the "Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Treatment of Commercial Information held by ACT Government Agencies". I move:

That the Standing Committee for the Chief Minister's Portfolio inquire into and report on by the last sitting day in 1998, the paper entitled Draft Principles and Guidelines for the Treatment of Commercial Information held by ACT Government Agencies.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR RUGENDYKE (10.58): Mr Speaker, I move:

That the Standing Committee on Urban Services inquire into and report by the last sitting day in 1998 on the need to increase the number of restricted taxi (multicab) plates.

Mr Speaker, I rise to provide the background to this motion, which exposes an unacceptable problem for the disabled community in the ACT. I was alerted to the problem by Mrs Annita Gordon, a resident of Ngunnawal. Incidentally, I welcome to the gallery here today Annita and some of her and our friends. Mrs Gordon's life has been turned upside down in the last year due to the effects of a stroke. In adjusting to life in a wheelchair, Mrs Gordon has endured immediate problems. Some of them were expected, some were unexpected. Perhaps the most unexpected has been her never-ending battle to catch a cab.

Now that Mrs Gordon is in a wheelchair, she relies on a cab to do the little things that many of us take for granted - the everyday chores, such as going to the shops; getting a haircut; or going to the doctor. Without her special transport requirements, Mrs Gordon does not go anywhere. She has no freedom whatsoever. When WIN TV put Annita's concerns to Canberra Cabs last week, management was arrogantly dismissive. It was a disappointing response, to say the least.

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