Page 2511 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019

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They are obviously desperate to have somewhere to turn to get help. Whether compulsory therapeutic treatment of young people with complex substance use disorders is the answer needs to be discussed. This is an option that several other nations have implemented, with reported success, and it is an option that is under serious consideration in Victoria. Here in the ACT, we cannot afford to choose to be left out of this conversation.

I well understand that this is a complex issue that involves not just determining what is best practice but what best protects the rights of young people, as Mr Rattenbury had mentioned before. But as Magistrate Bowles has noted, doing nothing when a better option may be available is a violation of a young person’s most basic human rights. Quoting from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, these include that children have the right to live a full life. Governments should ensure that children survive and develop healthily.

In addition, governments should provide ways of protecting children from dangerous drugs and children should be protected from any activities that could harm their development. I am satisfied that the government has agreed to consider this matter. I and many parents look forward to hearing the reported findings. Once again, Madam Assistant Speaker, I commend this motion to the Assembly.

Amendment agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

Waste—sustainable personal products

MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (3.07): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes the environmental impacts of disposable nappies, continence pads and sanitary products, with:

(a) Australians and New Zealanders using approximately 3.75 million disposable nappies each day, which take up to 150 years to decompose;

(b) the average menstruating person in Australia using around 10 000 to 12 000 disposable menstrual products over the course of their life, with pads taking more than 500 years to decompose;

(d) these products requiring the use of a significant amount of plastic and water during production;

(e) these products contributing to landfill as they cannot be recycled; and

(f) these products impacting on plumbing and sewage if not disposed of correctly;

(2) acknowledges the ACT Government’s commitment to reducing waste, including:

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