Page 2847 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
nearly 700,000 Australians who reside in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. They deserve equal rights. (Time expired.)
MS CHEYNE: Chief Minister, what has been the response by members, senators and the wider community to this campaign?
MR BARR: I can advise that the response to the joint campaign between the ACT and the Northern Territory has been very positive. I have received a large number of responses from senators and members agreeing with our position and that which this Assembly supported by way of resolution previously.
My office continues to receive very significant feedback from Canberrans from all walks of life for whom this issue is incredibly important. I am also hearing that people from around the country are contacting their federal representatives demanding that their friends and families living in Canberra and living in the Northern Territory should have an equal right to debate and legislate in this area.
People do realise that this debate is about territory rights and the fact that there are nearly 700,000 Australians who have lesser rights than those who live in states to conduct their own affairs. This is not fair and it is even more absurd now that the state of Victoria has passed laws in this regard. So, when New South Wales passes laws, when other Australian states pass laws, will the territories be the only places in this nation unable to determine what the law will be for our people?
MR PETTERSSON: Chief Minister, what is the current status of the repeal bill?
MR BARR: I thank Mr Pettersson for the supplementary. As members are aware, debate on the bill has now commenced in the Senate. The vote will be close, but it does look positive at this stage. Of course if it does pass the Senate the bill will also need to be debated in the House of Representatives. It is disappointing that the Prime Minister appears to have reneged on his agreement with the Senate crossbench to allow the bill to come on for a free vote in the house. There is an opportunity for the Prime Minister to show some leadership and stand up against Kevin Andrews and the far right wing of his party room. Apparently, he has done so today on the national energy guarantee. He found a way through on marriage equality. Hopefully, this issue will also see a free vote in the House of Representatives.
Canberra Hospital—radiology department
MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the minister for health. Minister, I refer to media reports on 23 July that the Canberra Hospital medical imaging department failed 28 of 32 criteria to keep training radiologists. The preliminary accreditation report states that the training program caused “an unacceptable level of risk to the trainees’ training and wellbeing”. Minister, why did the standard of the radiology training program cause an unacceptable level of risk to the trainees’ training and wellbeing?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mrs Kikkert for the question. I note that there is a motion on the notice paper for this issue to be discussed and debated in the chamber tomorrow. I refer Mrs Kikkert to my previous answer. I reiterate, as I have done
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video