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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 13 Hansard (25 November) . . Page.. 4594 ..

MS GALLAGHER: I have certainly been given no reason to believe that the information stored about students isn't in accordance with the privacy legislation. The department takes very seriously all issues to do with privacy of students. As you know, with the amount of students we have in our schools, there are a whole range of circumstances that those students have which require very rigorous levels of privacy.

In fact, criticism has been made about how strict we are with the privacy of that information about students in schools and, because we are so conscious of privacy, how it has actually worked to the disadvantage of some students. I don't necessarily share that opinion.

I have been given no reason to believe that we are not in accordance with all the legislation. In fact, I imagine we exceed it in some circumstances.

Business decision making

MR STEFANIAK: My question is directed to the Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism. Minister, will you confirm that the government supports the concept of a level playing field in providing information to ensure that businesses are not disadvantaged in making commercial decisions by government withholding information pertinent to that decision?

MR QUINLAN: As much as practicable, Mr Stefaniak.

MR STEFANIAK: I ask a supplementary question. Can we take it from your answer that ACT government departments and agencies must not withhold information from businesses that would influence them in taking commercial decisions?

MR QUINLAN: As much as practicable, Mr Stefaniak.

Canberra Hospital-patient satisfaction survey

MRS BURKE: My question is to the Minister for Health. Mr Corbell, last week I asked you a question, which you took on notice, regarding the patient satisfaction survey in the annual report. I note that you are yet to table that survey, by the way. In an answer to a question from the health committee, you said that the Canberra Hospital Clinical Governance Executive Committee is addressing issues raised in the survey relating to patient dissatisfaction in the emergency department, and you listed those issues.

Minister, page 25 of the annual report shows a footnote to the in-patient services rating of 77.8. The footnote says:

So, it would seem that the Clinical Governance Executive Committee is looking at both in-patient services and the emergency department. What are the identified issues the committee is reviewing in in-patient services?

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