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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2204 ..
MR QUINLAN (continuing):
This government made an assessment of the state of the finances in relation to the Canberra Hospital shortly after coming to government and acted quickly to address the previous government's funding shortfall. We honoured our election commitment to provide an additional $8.7 million in 2001-02 and the budget year and an additional $6 million per annum across the forward years.
Mr Speaker, this budget will allocate funding of $616,000 over four years from health growth funds for psychosocial support services for cancer clients. This program will support people newly diagnosed or awaiting confirmation of a cancer diagnosis, survivors of cancer and bereaved families.
Funding of $1.03 million over four years has also been provided for health growth funds for additional haematology services at the Canberra Hospital. The program will provide comprehensive cancer services for patients from the ACT and region and will support the treatment of additional patients in line with the demand for services, which continues to grow as a result of the increased rates of cancer. This funding is a commitment by this government, foreshadowed at the time of the election, to the provision of a range of excellent services for people with cancer in the territory.
The growth in need for radiotherapy services is also funded, with $1.356 million over four years for additional radiotherapists and growth in the services of radiation specialists. This program will support a comprehensive cancer service in the ACT, which is well placed to meet the growing demands for services, and again continues the government's commitment to address staffing issues in critical areas of health service provision in Canberra.
Mr Speaker, the structure and governance of the ACT health system have been reviewed and informed by the findings of the inquiry into disability services and the Reid review. Only last week we announced the creation of a new department for the provision of disability, community services and housing.
From 1 July 2002, the new Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services will take over the functions of the Office of Disability and Disability Services. Housing will also transfer from the Department of Urban Services, and a number of functions will transfer from the Department of Education and Community Services. The management of home-based palliative care, currently in Community Care, will be moved to the ACT Hospice, which is operated by Calvary Health Care.
Planning
Mr Speaker, Labor is committed to a strategic, integrated vision for a sustainable Canberra. We will consult and collaborate with Canberrans to develop this vision, which involves a strategic planning framework. We will target outcomes such as sustainable redevelopment within inner Canberra, balanced land supply and use, and sustainable transport systems. We will create an independent planning authority that works to protect the garden city image of Canberra. Quality redevelopment design will be actively promoted.
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