Page 2082 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 21 June 2005

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Mr Smyth: But how many of the Totalcare workers?

MR HARGREAVES: What part of none don’t you understand? I will say it again because, clearly, the opposition have not heard it, have not read it and have not even been told about it as they have not had any conversation with people at the coalface: there will be no involuntary redundancies.

Mr Speaker, the difference between this government and its predecessor, the Liberal government, is that we talk about people. We do not talk about positions. We do not treat people as numbers. We talk about people. People are our most valuable resource. Those people are incredibly valuable to us and we will go to any lengths to make sure that they feel as though they are contributing to the amenity of our town. Mr Speaker, there will be no involuntary redundancies.

MR STEFANIAK: I have a supplementary question. Minister, why have you broken the Chief Minister’s pledge to these workers?

MR HARGREAVES: I have not.

Policing—victims of crime

MR PRATT: My question is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mr Hargreaves. Minister, earlier this week the police took a 16-year-old rape victim, who obviously needed medical treatment after being beaten, drugged and raped all night, apparently, to a police watch-house cell. Later, after seeing her alleged attacker in the watch-house, she apparently became hysterical and attempted suicide.

Minister, why was the victim not taken to hospital and placed under police watch if it was in fact the case that she was in breach of bail conditions, as reported in the media? Is this an acceptable standard of police treatment of victims of crime?

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I do not have the detail about that and I do not propose to discuss the individual circumstances of people in such trauma. I have to say that I think it is appalling on the part of Mr Pratt to try to imply anything when somebody is going through such pain. I do not propose to indulge Mr Pratt.

MR PRATT: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, will you be holding the police accountable for their actions in this case? If not, why not?

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I have absolute confidence in ACT Policing and it is a shame that Mr Pratt does not follow suit.

This is Question Time - Jun21-06

Griffin Centre

DR FOSKEY: Mr Speaker, my question is to the minister for community services with regard to the new Griffin Centre. The minister will be aware that, for some time now, community organisations that are to move into the centre have understood that the ACT government would pay for the fit out of their offices and for essential fit out of access


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