Page 238 - Week 01 - Thursday, 18 February 1993
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The proposed reduction in rebate for medical benefits from 85 per cent to 75 per cent for patients not eligible for bulkbilling would further increase health costs to consumers. The fact that the ACT was able to negotiate $21m of extra funding is due to Commonwealth recognition of the ACT's commitment to Medicare. The ACT Labor Government remains committed to provide universal access based on clinical need to a high-quality public hospital service for eligible residents in Canberra and the surrounding region.
Mrs Carnell says that she will always applaud somebody for doing the right thing. She should be on her feet now with loud applause for this. While the Liberals have never taken much notice of the standing orders before, I am sure that if it was something that weighed heavily on their hearts they would do it now. See? Not one response. A good result for the ACT and no applause from the Liberals. I present the following paper:
Medicare Agreement - Funding of Public Hospitals 1993-94 to 1997-98 - Ministerial statement, 18 February 1993.
I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Carnell) adjourned.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Ministerial Statement
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (3.26): Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask for leave of the Assembly to make a ministerial statement on the Government's energy management program.
Leave granted.
MR CONNOLLY: The Government is aware of increasing community concern with the need to take steps to conserve the environment. One important aspect is the need to reduce greenhouse gases, and probably the easiest way this can be achieved is through reducing energy consumption. Anyone embarking on a serious program to reduce energy consumption will gain an important side benefit in cost savings. In 1990 the Commonwealth Government adopted a target of stabilising greenhouse gases at 1988 levels by the year 2000 and achieving a 20 per cent reduction by the year 2005. The ACT Government is participating with other governments in developing a national greenhouse response strategy for publication by the end of this year and is finalising its own greenhouse strategy.
The total cost of energy used in the ACT - that is, electricity, gas and oil - is approximately $200m per annum. The cost to the ACT Government for energy used in ACT government buildings is approximately $12m per annum. The potential for considerable savings in energy costs in ACT buildings has been increasingly apparent in recent years. As a result of investigations undertaken by the Department of Urban Services, who are responsible for maintenance of ACT
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