Page 2207 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 31 October 1989

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scoring. We will allow for wide discussion of the proposed legislation with all parties before we proceed.

Mr Speaker, this is not a rapid process, and I make no apology for that. Dog control is a complex issue, and the Government wants to ensure that we are operating on the basis of the majority view. We started the ball rolling with our awareness program, and we are now giving everybody a chance to have a say. We will then produce our legislation. We will proceed as rapidly as our commitment to consultation allows. I present the following paper:

Dog control legislation - Ministerial statement, 31 October 1989

and move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Debate (on motion by Mrs Nolan) adjourned.

MEDICARE INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Ministerial Statement and Paper

Debate resumed from 29 June 1989, on motion by Mr Berry:

That the Assembly takes note of the following paper:

Medicare Incentive Program - Ministerial statement, 29 June 1989.

MR MOORE (3.24): It is a long time since this ministerial statement was made, so my comments will be relatively brief. Many of the comments that I had to make had to do with a birthing centre, and that matter, interestingly enough, was addressed in the statement made by Mr Berry earlier today. Allow me to say that the concept of incentives to reduce stay in acute hospital beds is a very important matter for the community as a whole, because the acute hospital beds are a very expensive proposition, so methods that can be found that reduce stay in hospital are a fund saver for the community and therefore have a great advantage to all members of the community. It is very important for us to look at the economies in the health sector, because the health sector is one of the most expensive parts of our budget and of the budget right across Australia.

In this instance the Federal Government has given the ACT $461,000 towards post-acute and palliative care. Palliative care, which was also addressed by Mr Berry as a possible use for the Royal Canberra Hospital site, is particularly important and has broad-based support within the community. The existing system is satisfactory in the sense that many community members are giving their own time to assist in providing palliative care, but it is totally


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