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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 220 ..

MS TUCKER: My question is to Mr Moore, the Minister for Health. Could you clarify for me whether in fact it is true that the detoxification unit was closed for any time over December and January?

MR MOORE: Ms Tucker, I will take that question on notice and seek clarification. My recollection is that the detoxification unit was closed down for a short time over the Christmas-new year period but there was always somebody available to assist people who sought help. The reason for the closure was that the community detoxification program has very little call on it during the Christmas-new year period. The part I will take on notice, because I think it is an interesting issue and I think it is worth exploring, is how many people contacted the detoxification unit while it was closed down and what happened to those people. Certainly, the information I was given prior to the time that closing down was proposed was that there would be a backup service for people who were in difficulties. That was provided first via telephone contact and then through the hospital. I will come back to you and to members of the Assembly on the number of people who contacted the detoxification unit while it was closed down.

It seems to me inappropriate to spend our money to keep a detoxification system open over a period when there is no demand for it. I think we can make an assessment of that, and that would inform us how we should operate over the next Christmas period.

MS TUCKER: I ask a supplementary question. I would appreciate the details. I am also interested to know what the backup was. What services were available, please?

MR MOORE: I will take that on notice and provide an answer. Prior to Christmas, when I was informed that this was the proposition, I checked and I was satisfied that there would be appropriate backup. I will come up with the detail and provide it to you and to members of the Assembly.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Urban Services. It relates to proposals for the relocation of Craft ACT to the old Ainslie school building. I ask whether the Minister is aware of proposals within his department to alter the heritage citation of the old Ainslie school site to remove from the citation the sentence which reads:

This is best achieved through continued use of the place for educational purposes.

Is the Minister aware that these moves were initiated despite strong advice from an officer within the Heritage Unit which indicated that if this sentence in the citation is removed the entire statement of significance for the site would have to be reviewed and that its removal would weaken the integrity of the site, which exemplifies a community school in the garden city ideal?

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