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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (2 March) . . Page.. 553 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

The Labor Party has looked closely at the arrangement surrounding this Bill. We understand that this Bill should proceed simply because the Cotter River Act is now superseded by a number of other Acts, notably the Trespass on Territory Land Act 1932 and the Nature Conservation Act 1980. Whilst there will need to be some amendments to the Bushfire Act 1936, the issues covered by the Cotter River Act are also dealt with by that Act. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Labor Party will be supporting this straightforward piece of machinery legislation today.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

MR WOOD (4.55): Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, ACT government agencies have a duty of care towards those for whom they have responsibility. Along with the Aboriginal community, I ask whether that care has been delivered, at least in one recent incident.

No doubt with good intent, care providers took four residents from a Disability Services group home to a camp held at Wee Jasper in November. This was to be a recreational opportunity for those residents. These people, because they have disabilities, are also liable to have associated behavioural difficulties, yet their employed carers came to a stage where that was disregarded. They also appeared to disregard the likelihood that those in their care may have trouble discerning between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

Disability Services can surely be expected to employ people who do understand what is unacceptable behaviour. Not on that night, apparently, because, as I am reliably informed, the workers took alcohol to the camp, shared beer and Jack Daniels with the participants, and then bought more alcohol and shared this and, I am told, marijuana with those under their care, even a young Aborigine aged 16 who decided he wanted to go home. The carers apparently refused the request.

The occurrence of such an incident is bad enough, but after some drinking there was an altercation after which one of the workers called the police and one of those in care was charged. No more can be said about that because it is the subject of a court hearing to take place in April, I believe in Yass.

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