Page 3756 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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DR BOURKE: Chief Minister, what arrangements are being put in place to counsel and support the home owners?
MS GALLAGHER: Again, I thank Dr Bourke for his interest in this matter. The government is continuing to offer personal support through the task force and further assistance for those who need specialist counselling. Canberra Connect and task force officers are assisting people by phone, listening to them and answering questions. ACT Health officials and the asbestos task force have been in discussion again this morning to make sure our arrangements are as suitable as possible and also that Canberra Connect staff and task force staff are able to refer people to the most appropriate health service should they need it.
Flowing on from these discussions, the government will take some further steps to support families at this time that need it. Mental health experts will meet with task force workers to make sure they are fully aware of the appropriate ways to respond and support people who may be in distress. We will communicate further and provide as much information and as many answers as we can to people’s questions. Also, we will be holding a series of public meetings and drop-in events over the next little while, certainly in the lead-up to the scheme being operational. We will have health professionals there to answer questions that people might have.
We are acutely aware of the fact that the decision day has really crystallised the way forward or what the future is for many families, and that can be a very traumatic time. I thank home owners for their preparedness to continue to work with us. We will seek to respond to all of the issues they raise as we can.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Chief Minister, what other support will be important to these owners?
MS GALLAGHER: There are a number of important roles for people outside of government to play now that a buy-back scheme has been announced and a way forward has been identified. In particular, I think there is a role for the corporate sector in Canberra, for peak bodies and industry groups and also for the broader community.
Today I have signed letters to telecommunication companies and utility providers seeking their support and assistance for Mr Fluffy home owners in the process that lies ahead. This is to ensure that those companies are looking at ways to ameliorate or support families with the costs that might be incurred as they move home and establish new homes.
We will also be writing—hopefully this afternoon or certainly this week—to the insurance sector and banks, again seeking their support for affected families so that we can make sure that there is some relief there with all of the other costs that will be incurred. I certainly call upon those sectors to think very compassionately about the costs that may be incurred by families.
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