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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2193 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Mr Stanhope said that we should make sure that we respond positively to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the Bringing them home report. I have good news for you, Mr Stanhope. I presume that yesterday you saw the Chief Minister table our report on both of those issues. That is a positive tick for the Government. We will continue doing that, but of course there are challenges there.

Mr Stanhope referred to Aboriginal people having an life span of some 20 years less than other Australians. That is of major concern, but I think we should take care that we do not extrapolate that to the ACT. That figure is an Australia-wide figure. Although it is still a concern for us in the ACT, we would need evidence that that is the case. Anecdotal evidence would indicate that the problem is not as serious in the ACT, but that is not to take away from how serious the problem is.

Contrary to the accusations made by Mr Berry yesterday, which he still has not apologised for, I am not racist and I do not vilify. I work very hard to ensure that we can get the best possible health outcomes for those who need most help. The single most significant group in the ACT, as in Australia, are indigenous peoples.

Mr Stanhope briefly raised the issue of the hospice. I will come back to that when dealing with Mr Berry. Why were the figures not within the budget for the hospice? In responding to Mr Berry, I have to say, "How come you did not hold out much better?". It is one of those issues where we are damned if we do and damned if we do not. But I will come back and deal with that when I respond to Mr Berry on that.

Mr Stanhope also raised the issue of cook-chill. I am very pleased to respond to that, because there was a misrepresentation on the whole issue of cook-chill in the Canberra Times and led by Mr Stanhope. Somehow or other the word "Bruce" came into it. I think I should explain exactly what happened so the misrepresentation does not continue.

Cook-chill was proposed as part of the rectification and brought to me as a possible saving, as I recall off the top of my head, of some $800,000. When it came to me, I was aware that as part of the Bruce redevelopment a cook-chill facility had been built into Bruce. I was the person who checked with the Chief Minister's Department, and the Government is now obtaining professional advice on what possibility exists for a rationalising approach between the Canberra Hospital and Bruce Stadium. I think it is unlikely, because we are talking about over a million meals a year at the Canberra Hospital, whereas at Bruce Stadium I understand they are talking about some 50,000 meals a year. The incredible discrepancy probably indicates that there will not be any ability to rationalise the two but it is certainly worth pursuing and looking into, and we hope to have a result on that in the next couple of weeks. But of course that was blown out of proportion and misrepresented by Mr Stanhope and by a reporter for the Canberra Times at a time when it was necessary to act like lions hunting a wounded gazelle in the lead-up to the no-confidence motion.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can take your second 10 minutes, Mr Minister.

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