Page 5684 - Week 15 - Thursday, 10 December 2009
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MS BURCH: My department and I are in contact with the Attorney-General’s Department following the review and we have been in contact with the families. We will continue to be in contact with the families as that review progresses and we will continue to be in contact with the Attorney-General’s Department while that process is under review.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur?
MS LE COUTEUR: Certainly, a supplementary. Given the substantial amount of time that ACT families have spent on this program, what consideration has the government given to other options that might be available to prospective parents if the program does in fact close?
MS BURCH: Should the Ethiopian adoption program close then the department would work with the families to find solutions so that they can progress their keen interest in and commitment to adopting a child.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Bresnan?
MS BRESNAN: Minister, did the ACT government make a written submission to the review being conducted by the federal Attorney-General’s Department and, if not, why not?
MS BURCH: Well, as you know, the ACT did not make a submission. I understand that only one state government made a submission, and that was the Northern Territory. This has been confirmed by the Attorney-General’s Department. We have been in contact with the department through teleconferences through November and December, and we will participate in that discussion in a further teleconference next week or the week after.
Hospitals—Calvary Public Hospital and Clare Holland House
MS PORTER: Through you, Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, could you update the Assembly on the outcomes of the consultation process undertaken regarding the possible purchase of Calvary Public Hospital?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Ms Porter for the question. On 1 October 2009, I announced the commencement of a formal six-week public consultation on the proposal to transfer ownership of Calvary Public Hospital and Clare Holland House. As part of the consultation, a website was established containing background information to the proposal and interested parties were invited to attend public forums and/or offer their views via a telephone number, an email and a physical mail address. A total of 163 responses were fielded by the consultation email and phone number and the consultation website received 1,706 hits from 25 September to 11 November.
Consultation forums were held for both staff and the public: on 16 October, at Calvary, a staff forum; on 16 October, a public forum at Calvary Public Hospital; on 16 October a public forum at the Canberra Hospital; on 21 October, at Clare Holland House, a staff forum; on 21 October, a public forum at the Boathouse with a palliative
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