Page 4902 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 27 November 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
risks to vulnerable people and the possible infringement of human rights by visits to people’s homes, as well as drawing the Assembly’s attention to the detailed description of how these issues have been addressed in the explanatory statement accompanying the bill.
As Ms Lee noted, in recognition of the potential impact on the right to privacy, a number of exclusions and an opt-out provision are included in the bill. The official visitors must comply with a request not to be visited and must be sensitive to the wishes of an entitled person when conducting a visit. This gives the entitled person further control over if and how the Official Visitor conducts a visit.
The definition of visitable places will be able to be further clarified through the provision in the bill for a disallowable instrument specifying types of specialist disability services that do not require visitation and therefore do not result in being defined as a visitable place.
In summary, the purpose of the bill is to allow the Disability Services Act 1991 to continue to deliver on the intent of the official visitor scheme in the current service context of the NDIS. It will support the official visitors, Ms Hargreaves and Ms Durkin, and their successors, to continue their vital role in safeguarding the wellbeing of vulnerable Canberrans.
The Community Services Directorate will review the operation of the amendments in 2020 to ensure that they have, in fact, facilitated the official visitors’ work as intended.
Finally, I would like to thank members again for their interest in and engagement with the development of this bill and commend it to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Adjournment
Motion (by Mr Gentleman) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Yerrabi electorate
Valedictory
MS ORR (Yerrabi) (6.21): As it is the last sitting week of the year, I rise this evening to reflect on the year that was and highlight some of the things in store for Yerrabi in 2019.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video