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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 2103 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

The other issue of major concern, which is difficult for us to discuss here today but which demands to be discussed, is the delivery of disability services in the ACT and of other services within the community sector. There are two inquiries in hand in relation to disability services: the Gallop inquiry and a coronial inquest, which I understand is proceeding.

The existence of these two inquiries certainly creates some difficulty in discussing the issues openly. But the point needs to be made that a major issue, shortcoming or failing in relation to the delivery of services to people with a disability has been revealed and disclosed to anybody who cares about it-in fact, to all of us, because nobody can have failed to notice the major deficiencies that are so apparent in service delivery.

The government has responded to that with a significant additional allocation in relation to disability services. I think that allocation has been made in anticipation of the outcomes of those two inquiries: namely, the Gallop inquiry into disability services and the coronial inquest. Despite the existence of those two inquiries, through the actions and failings of service delivery, some dreadful events have occurred.

There are a range of other issues over and above those, which concern us all in relation to the Canberra Hospital, not least this government's total incapacity to deal with the nursing work force at the Canberra Hospital. There is a complete breakdown in relations between the ANF and the minister.

If one looks at it objectively and dispassionately, the minister's complete lack of empathy with or capacity to negotiate, discuss or even be civil to officials of the ANF-and through the ANF, to be civil to and nurturing of the nursing work force-has been one of the features of his ministership. His total lack of rapport with or respect for one of the most, if not the most, significant parts of his work force has led to a total breakdown in relations.

I have said before, in comments I made in relation to the Chief Minister's Department, that one of the areas of major concern and interest to me in my time in this place has been the completely unacceptable state of indigenous health and the completely unacceptable level of government support for indigenous health initiatives. Indigenous people have by far the worst health circumstances of any identifiable group within the ACT. It is a matter of great and continuing shame that the national capital-this city, our home-harbours an indigenous population that suffers the same levels of disadvantage, despair, despondency and ill health as indigenous populations elsewhere in Australia.

If you were not aware of it, if was not drawn to your attention and if the facts were not patent, you would have trouble crediting that the life expectancy of indigenous people in this town is no better than it is anywhere else in Australia and that the health indicators for indigenous populations anywhere around Australia are the same as for the population here, a population that is vastly, tragically and shamefully overrepresented in relation to substance abuse.

The most worrying and distressing acknowledgment of this is that indigenous people constitute half of the cases of heroin overdose deaths in the ACT so far this year. I have been advised by some Aboriginal elders that as a result of the current price of heroin

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