Page 26 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
No single service such as the Alcohol and Drug Service can possibly hope to deal effectively with the extensive range of problems caused by alcohol. All organisations, departments and agencies coming into contact with people with alcohol-related problems must examine the role their members can play in the treatment of drinking problems and ensure that staff have adequate training to identify and appropriately manage such clients.
More needs to be done to ensure that services for the diagnosis, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of those with alcohol-related brain damage are readily available. While the application of our energies to preventing people, especially the young, from developing problems with alcohol is essential, we must accept as a community the need to adequately care for those who are now permanently afflicted with brain damage through the long-term abuse of alcohol.
At the forthcoming meeting of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy in April this year I will be reporting on the progress of the ACT Government in the implementation of the national health policy on alcohol. In the meantime I have asked my department to pursue the establishment of an interdepartmental consultative group to examine a wide range of policy options appropriate for the ACT and ultimately to develop a complementary ACT health policy on alcohol.
In closing, let me reiterate that we must recognise the benefits as well as the harm that alcohol brings to our society and develop a broad range of strategies that will lead us to a responsible and moderate enjoyment of alcohol in our society. In this regard we recognise the importance of giving due consideration to the many diverse interests and concerns that this complex problem presents. Mr Speaker, I present the following paper:
National health policy on alcohol - Ministerial statement, 13 February 1990
and move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
ALLIANCE GOVERNMENT'S LEGISLATION PROGRAM
Ministerial Statement and Paper
MR COLLAERY (Deputy Chief Minister), by leave: Mr Speaker, it gives me pleasure to table the Alliance Government's legislation program for the first half of 1990. The legislation program provides the titles of legislation proposals and, unlike the former Government's program, also
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .