Page 3313 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 September 2015
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what discussions did the government have with Parsons Brinckerhoff regarding the closure of the car park whilst the EIS was being completed?
MR CORBELL: I would have to take that question on notice.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, why were these disruptions not fully canvassed in the capital metro full business case?
MR CORBELL: The business case is developed for the purposes of making an investment decision. The EIS is the process utilised to assess impacts and mitigate those impacts.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, does the government remain committed to capital metro?
MR CORBELL: Yes.
Health—statistics
MS FITZHARRIS: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, can you advise the Assembly on the emerging public health concerns facing Canberra?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Fitzharris for her question. It is important to recognise that as our community grows in overall size and age there are particular public health challenges for our city. These challenges will inform service delivery and public policy responses to try to keep our population as healthy as possible. There is good news, which I will come to shortly, but there are also some significant challenges for us when it comes to the health of the Canberra population.
We are not alone in seeing a significant increase in chronic diseases, many of which are associated with lifestyle factors. The rise of obesity is a major issue both locally and nationally. The latest report of the Chief Health Officer in 2014 found that the proportion of overweight or obese adults in the ACT has risen from 59 per cent in 2007-08 to 63 per cent in 2011-12. The number of overweight kids ranges from 15.7 per cent for kindergarten children to 26 per cent, or one in four, aged 15 to 17 years. These are disturbing statistics; they should be of concern to every member of the Assembly.
These rising levels of overweight and obese people are placing significant pressure on our public hospital and health system. Almost four per cent of our population, for example, have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Future projections from 2005 estimate that between 15,000 and 22,000 people in the ACT will have diabetes by 2020. That
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