Page 3809 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 30 November 2021

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when the growing population requires centrally located public pools that are accessible and seeks government intervention to have it open before the end of this summer.

Recreation facilities provide many benefits to communities by bringing people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds together to socialise, have fun and keep fit. They can inspire and motivate people while fostering community pride. The rink and pool have lost essential workers and income due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

The election commitment to a new ice rink in Tuggeranong has undermined the financial viability of the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre. In effect, the 50 year old Phillip Pool has been privatised, run down and is likely to close permanently.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call upon the Government to:

provide a grant to fix the Phillip Pool and assist in ensuring it occurs;

keep the Phillip Pool open until it, or another outdoor pool, is available and open for the people of Woden for the long term.

The Clerk having announced that the terms of the petitions would be recorded in Hansard and referred to the appropriate ministers for response pursuant to standing order 100, the petitions were received.

Motion to take note of petitions

MADAM SPEAKER: Pursuant to standing order 98A, I propose the question:

That the petitions so lodged be noted.

Health—eating disorder support services—petition 34-21

DR PATERSON (Murrumbidgee) (10.03): In early August a community member, Ms Kate Steen, who I would like to recognise here today in the Assembly, wrote to me asking that I sponsor a petition. Her email read as follows:

I’m a 34-year-old mum, I live in your electorate, I’m a lawyer and, last Thursday, I was diagnosed at the local Medical Centre with anorexia. I was referred to the Eating Disorders Program run by ACT Health in Phillip. When I rang them this week, I was told I couldn’t be given an estimated wait time but that it could be up to a year, and I’m nervous about waiting that long because I don’t know if I will have the resolve for recovery in a year ...

It’s a time critical issue and unfortunately moments of clarity in the journey are too few and far between. The system has to be positioned to take people in as soon as they reach out for help, because it’s such a brief, shiny moment. Today I’m motivated to recover. I hope I feel the same tomorrow. There’s a lot of tomorrows in 12 months.

Similarly, I have had other community members—and I would like to recognise Bernadette here today as well—and parents of young women suffering eating


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