Page 640 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 23 March 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (3.17): Madam Speaker, I am going to take the opportunity to indicate further the measure of the Labor Government's support for Down syndrome children. I share the views of the two earlier speakers in pointing to the importance of this week. It is also the case that the Down Syndrome Association is working very hard and effectively over a period to bring these children more into mainstream life and well away from the sometimes traditional attitude - going back many years now - of keeping such people out of the public view.
For a long time in our school system Down syndrome children were not generally able to be enrolled in mainstream schools. They were encouraged - in fact it was often insisted - to attend special schools. Since coming into government - the second Follett Government - we have changed that policy and I think that is a major step. In the first year we ran a pilot program, as I recall, of five students in mainstream schools. Last year something like seven students were put into the mainstream schools, and again this year seven further students have moved in.
That is adding up to a reasonable number as part of a program that will extend necessarily over quite a few years before those parents who seek the integration into mainstream schools have access for their students to those schools. There may be parents - I have no doubt that there are - who wish to see their children remain at a special school, and I expect that that facility will continue to be provided.
I believe that this is an important step in turning around public attitudes. It is my advice that the children in these schools have taken the Down syndrome and other intellectually handicapped students into their care and have worked very well with them and have looked after them. I think that is what it is all about; that all students, all children, need to live together and we should get away from this separation due to some impairment or other. I am pleased that this week is being held and that it is being noted, but that recognition must continue at all times.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
NATURAL DEATH WITH DIGNITY
Ministerial Statement and Paper
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (3.20): Madam Speaker, I ask for leave of the Assembly to make a ministerial statement on natural death.
Leave granted.
MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the Legislative Assembly of the Government's decision to refer the issue of natural death to the ACT Community Law Reform Committee. Under this reference the committee will consider the right of people to a natural death with dignity. This would involve allowing a person to die naturally at his or her request. I wish to stress that we have not asked the committee to consider the issue of active euthanasia that involves some positive acts, such as the giving of a lethal drug or injection.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .