Page 3887 - Week 10 - Thursday, 28 August 2008
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The people of the ACT who have borne the brunt of the needless cuts deserve to see this functional review, especially before this election, so that they can make an informed judgement on the performance of the Stanhope government. They have borne the brunt of the cuts: the closures of schools; the cutting back of the bus network; the disassembling of the Emergency Services Authority; and the closure of the Griffith library. All manner of things have been brought about by the functional review and the ridiculous decisions made in the 2006-07 budget—the hard decisions we had to make!
These were not hard decisions they had to make. The government is covering its tracks by refusing to be open and by refusing to publish the functional review. This is the right use of process. I congratulate the public accounts committee on their doggedness in pursuing this. It is a great shame to the Stanhope government, the government that came in saying, “We will be more open and more accountable,” that on the last sitting day we are here confronted with their unwillingness to be open with the people of the ACT.
I can predict how this vote will go. I can predict this will be another vote for closedness and secretiveness by the Stanhope government. The people of the ACT must be reminded of just how the Stanhope government has—
It being 45 minutes after the commencement of Assembly business, the debate was interrupted in accordance with standing order 77. Ordered that the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for the next sitting.
Health and Disability—Standing Committee
Report 8
MS MacDONALD (Brindabella) (11.18): I present the following report:
Health and Disability—Standing Committee—Report 8—The early intervention and care of vulnerable infants in the ACT, dated 21 August 2008, together with a copy of the extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I move:
That the report be noted.
Mr Speaker, this report on vulnerable infants is a fairly quick report that the committee decided to undertake earlier this year. The report notes that an infant becomes vulnerable when its main carer, for whatever reason, is not able to provide the adequate care required to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing, including its physical and emotional developmental needs.
The focus of this inquiry has been on parents with complex needs and their infants that become vulnerable when their parenting capacity has broken down. The committee found that the best way to help vulnerable infants in this situation is to restore the parenting capacity of the main carer wherever this is possible. Evidence to
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