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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (15 February) . . Page.. 9 ..
MR MOORE (continuing):
they raised and to hear about the difficulty they have in dealing with the same sorts of health, morbidity, mortality, drug and alcohol use, self-concept and education issues. We are looking wherever we can for ideas on how we can get better health outcomes.
Since there is some debate on this at the moment, it is worth making the point that if we compare, as best we can on the fairly weak data, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes across Australia indicators show that we are better than most other parts of Australia. There is a whole series of factors, not the least of which is that people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background come here to work in relatively senior positions and therefore are much more educated than others.
We have to make sure that we also target our local indigenous people, the Ngunnawal, and see what is happening with them. It is also important that we recognise that, whether they are children or adults, they have a contribution to make where their skills are greater than average skills and where they are doing well. I think we have been quite poor at doing that. It is something we need to improve on.
The committee also raised the issue of disabilities. We will continue to work as hard as we can to keep pressure on the Commonwealth to provide more finances in the area of disabilities. At the moment we have a need of $300m a year. The Commonwealth Government have put up $150m over three years, when what they needed to do across Australia was to put up $150m a year to meet the current unmet need. So I concur with the committee. It is quite right. It is something we need to push.
The committee asked for details on a couple of other matters that I will find answers for and get back to the Assembly on when we do a formal response to the report. I take this opportunity to thank the committee for their work. Whenever we have more minds and more members of the Assembly focusing on what needs to be done in health, we have a better chance of getting better health outcomes right across the community. That is clearly what we are all interested in.
Debate (on motion by Mr Hird ) adjourned.
MS TUCKER (11.10): Pursuant to order, I present Report No. 4 of the Standing Committee on Education, Community Services and Recreation, entitled "1998-99 Annual Financial Reports of the Department of Education and Community Services and Related Agencies", together with extracts of the minutes of proceedings. This report was authorised for publication by the Speaker on 3 February 2000, pursuant to the resolution of the Assembly on 2 September 1999. I move:
That the report be noted.
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