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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 3908 ..

MRS CROSS (continuing):

We were looking at trying to find compromises. As with many decisions in this place, sometimes we reach a compromise and sometimes we do not. I am prepared to take on two committees, as I explained to both of my crossbench colleague, but I think that this chamber needs to remember that there are two major parties here and the crossbenchers do not constitute a party. Deciding who should take on what isn't really a matter for the major parties or anyone else but the member, so I do not have to justify my actions there. I am prepared to work on two committees. Other members were not flexible on that. That is basically my position, Mr Speaker.

Question put:

That Mrs Cross ' motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted-

	Ayes, 9  			Noes, 8

 Mr Berry  	Ms MacDonald  	Mr Cornwell  	Mr Smyth
 Mr Corbell  	Mr Quinlan  	Ms Dundas  	Mr Stefaniak
 Mrs Cross  	Mr Stanhope  	Mrs Dunne  	Ms Tucker 
 Ms Gallagher  	Mr Wood    	Mr Humphries  
 Mr Hargreaves			Mr Pratt

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 12.35 to 2.30 pm.

Questions without notice

Remand centre protocol

MR HUMPHRIES: My question is to the minister for corrections. Yesterday you tabled draft protocols covering the transfer of remandees from Belconnen Remand Centre to the so-called Symonston temporary remand centre. Protocol 1 lists the sorts of offences that qualify someone to be sent to the latter, including, shoplifting, defamation and littering. It also lists criteria to determine whether the detainee should not be considered suitable for a transfer to the TRC. They include a detainee receiving pharmacotherapy such as methadone, a detainee being known to misuse addictive substances, a detainee suffering an acute health problem, a detainee suffering from a psychiatric illness, with a history of mental illness or whose psychiatric status is unclear, and a detainee who needs specialised service or support (for example, women and indigenous people). But this seems to rule out sending women, indigenous people, the mentally ill and those with a substance abuse problem to Symonston.

Minister, do you seriously believe that the 30 beds in this $3 million facility will help very much with the overcrowding problem if these are the criteria you are using?

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