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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 3383 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

highlighting some of the things that have been achieved - the release of the Whole of Territory Mental Health Plan and the work that was done on that; just yesterday the release of the youth suicide strategy and the work that that leads to; and the development of a transcultural mental health strategy and the establishment of a transcultural health network. Mr Speaker, we are talking about expenditure on a series of capital works to help support an appropriate approach to mental health.

Mr Speaker, I have also introduced into this Assembly amendments to the mental health legislation. On that issue I will say to members now that I shall be organising a round table meeting in early February to discuss the mental health legislation because I know that there are contrary views on it. After that meeting, or even before it, the Health and Community Care Committee may wish to take on that legislation. But I think as a first step it would be appropriate to use the sort of method that Mr Wood used when we looked at the Whole of Territory Mental Health Plan earlier in the year and bring people together to see whether we can find compromises, where appropriate, on the mental health legislation. I just say that as an aside.

I also would like to comment on the disability advisory committees. The Government has been provided with advice on the proposed restructure of community-based advisory committees in the areas of aged care services, which Mr Wood touched on, disability services, and mental health services. The advisory committees will help government to seek advice from the wider community.

Mr Wood, you also touched on respite care. I am absolutely tickled pink that you will be making an announcement tomorrow about the Health and Community Care Committee looking at respite care. There are some difficulties here as to what is Federal Government responsibility and what is ACT Government responsibility. Mr Wood and I, and other members, including Ms Tucker, have discussed the issue of the inadequacy of respite care. Of course, what we would like to do is provide huge amounts of money. We have to make a sensible decision about what we can provide within the current resources. I will say to you, Mr Wood, that I was advised just today that the second house at Fisher, which was originally set up as a COOOL house, is working very effectively at the moment as a respite care house. We, in ACT Community Care, are proud of the fact that the people in respite care are really there for respite care, unlike in other States, where often up to a third of people are permanently in respite care, effectively blocking places for people who have a genuine need for respite care.

Mr Wood: Is that going to be a permanent arrangement now?

MR MOORE: Mr Wood interjects, "Will that Fisher house be a permanent arrangement?". There has not been a final decision made about that, Mr Wood. If your committee is looking at that issue, you might be able to provide advice to me on it. I would be very interested in your view on that. I would add, Mr Speaker, that under the HACC program funding is being provided to develop a model for community-based rehabilitation, which will provide for better coordination between acute and community-based services. That project has recently commenced.

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