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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 551 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

The various sections of the legislation specified in the Bill are being repealed or amended because of the potential for discrimination. For example, in practice, a bus driver or a swimming pool manager is not going to be aware if a person has an infectious disease. It is considered more appropriate that public health laws should be used to control the person's movements, if that is what is required. The Public Health Act has more than adequate mechanisms for doing this. For example, under section 102 of the Act, the treating doctor is required to give a patient with a transmissible notifiable condition, or infectious disease, information about the condition and how to prevent the transmission of the condition to others.

Also, the principles in section 99 of the Act place an obligation on a person who believes that they have contracted a transmissible notifiable condition to take all reasonable methods to avoid exposing others to the condition. The Chief Health Officer could, if he or she considered it appropriate, issue a public health direction requiring a person with an infectious disease not to travel on any public transport.

The Government is committed to having laws that are current, workable and do not discriminate or marginalise. I am sure that all members would support the Government's view on this. Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Stanhope ) adjourned.

ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURE - STANDING COMMITTEE

Reference - Operation of Legislative Assembly (Broadcasting of Proceedings) Act 1997

MR CORBELL (10.39): Mr Speaker, I move:

That the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure inquire into and report on the operation of the Legislative Assembly (Broadcasting of Proceedings) Act 1997 with particular reference to:

(1) the authorisation of broadcast of Assembly committee proceedings including the provision of file footage;

(2) the continued restriction on the broadcast of debates other than those determined to be of "landmark" significance; and

(3) the authorisation of broadcast of Assembly and committee proceedings to locations other than government offices.

Mr Speaker, just very briefly, the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure has unanimously agreed to seek a formal reference from the Legislative Assembly to inquire into the Legislative Assembly (Broadcasting of Proceedings) Act 1997. The reasons for the standing committee seeking this reference are that the attention of the

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