Page 2051 - Week 07 - Thursday, 20 August 2020
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understanding of the important public health issues raised in its consideration of the referred petitions.
The committee notes that decisions about tests for inclusion or removal in national newborn bloodspot screening are overseen by the Clinical Principal Committee of the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council on national population-based screening activities, on advice from the standing committee on screening. The committee further notes that the standing committee on screening is currently reviewing SCID for inclusion in the Australian newborn bloodspot screening program.
The committee is pleased to hear that, as part of the New South Wales pilot SCID study, ACT newborns are receiving screening for SCID. The committee looks forward to the Minister for Health advising on a recommended ACT position for ongoing screening for SCID after the recommendations from the standing committee on screening review and the New South Wales pilot study are known.
In conclusion, the committee reiterates the importance of the right to petition parliament to highlight issues and directly influence the work of parliament. The petitions referred to the committee were a request by a group of citizens that asked the Assembly to take action to solve a specific problem. The committee therefore wishes to advise that it has concluded its consideration of referred petitions numbered 21 of 19 and 1 of 20.
The committee notes that if petitioners have any further concerns regarding the particulars of the referred petitions and their requested action, they are to please raise such matters with a member of the Legislative Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Crossbench executive members’ business
Ordered that crossbench executive members’ business be called on.
Age of criminal responsibility
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (11.01): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that:
(a) the ACT minimum age of criminal responsibility of 10 is well and truly out of step with the rest of the world;
(b) Australia has been chastised by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, which recommends raising the age to 14;
(c) groups including, but not limited to, the ACT Human Rights Commission, ACTCOSS, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT), Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation, Anglicare NSW South/ACT, the Law Society, the Youth Coalition of the ACT and the Australian Medical
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