Page 3828 - Week 12 - Thursday, 30 October 2014
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have argued that we should not do anything; others are saying that we have not done enough. What we have done, which sets this government apart from others, is to make our decisions based on evidence and try to do what is right. Not the easy thing but the right thing.
We have set out to make good, as much as we can, mistakes of the past. For us, doing nothing was simply not an option.
Given the upheaval which still lies ahead for Mr Fluffy residents, it is vital that they continue to take care of themselves, and particularly to look after their own mental wellbeing and that of their partners and families. There are good services and skilled clinicians available to support people should they need it. No-one needs to deal with this by themselves.
In terms of next steps, I have mentioned the public meetings which will soon be announced. The community and expert reference group, which will meet later this morning, will also carry out important engagement with the Mr Fluffy community. Dr Sue Packer as chair, and other CERG members, have extensive expertise in recovery from such difficult situations, and I do urge owners to engage with these forums and drop-ins as they happen.
The dedicated call team at Canberra Connect will continue to offer assistance by phone, and has already taken more than 2½ thousand calls relating to Mr Fluffy since July. The task force will continue to provide information and answer questions, both in person and online.
In partnership with the ACT Medicare Local, the government will continue to cover the cost of families accessing psychological and emotional support. Longer term, the Chief Health Officer is well advanced in preparations for a detailed health study which the government decided to conduct following discussions with the community in July and August. This will seek to quantify the risk of disease compared with the risk in the general population and identify potential subgroups that might be at higher risk. I will provide information on this important work as it progresses.
Just as this issue has been a major struggle for more than 1,000 families in our community, it has been and will continue to be a major undertaking for the ACT government. Again, I acknowledge the work of the task force head, Mr Andrew Kefford, and his team. They deserve recognition for their professionalism, commitment and their tireless efforts to individually support the affected home owners.
The work of those who advised the government to respond so proactively to the lessons of the Downer house deserve special commendation today. Fearless and frank advice from the public service to ministers and cabinet is essential to good government. Those officers successfully argued their case up to their minister at the time, Minister Corbell, and through him to the cabinet table late last year, which led to the original mail-out of the 18 February letter which has changed so many lives. I know that I am eternally grateful for their efforts. At the right time their efforts will be recognised more formally.
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