Page 3114 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 September 1993
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The Government wishes to congratulate the Social Policy Committee on its thorough investigation of a particularly complex set of issues. The steps already being taken and those being planned by my Government acknowledge our commitment to these important issues and will ensure that we are well placed to respond to the needs of our ageing citizens and to benefit from their capacity to contribute as the population of the ACT moves to experience the same degree of ageing as that experienced by the nation as a whole. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I present a copy of this statement, and I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Debate (on motion by Mr Cornwell) adjourned.
KICK BOXING
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport): Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I will take this opportunity to answer a question that was raised yesterday by Mr Stevenson. I omitted to do it when he was in the house, but I will do it now to get it on the record. He asked a question on costs in relation to a kick boxing contest in July. The answer to his question is that the Government agreed to pay the organisers' court costs, and a claim for $5,700 has been received; but there is some concern that this amount may not be appropriate and we have not yet formulated a response. The organisers agreed that they would make no other claims for the purported losses or damages incurred.
NATIONAL AUTISM WEEK
Ministerial Statement
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport): I seek leave to make a statement in relation to National Autism Week.
Leave granted.
MR BERRY: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, 13-19 September is National Autism Week. I believe that there is a lot that the community can do to support people who suffer from autism, a disability which is not well understood by the community. Autism is a severe developmental disorder which usually becomes evident before three years of age and may be diagnosed at any time from two-and-a-half on. Often autism is detected only when professional help is sought because of delays in a child's language development or because of their behavioural problems. It has been identified in all parts of the world, although it is a rare disorder with an incidence of approximately 15 in every 10,000 births. There is a higher incidence for boys, with a ratio of three or four boys to each girl. Although little is known about the cause of autism, it is now generally believed to be biological and probably occurs before birth. There is no known cure. Autism is a lifelong condition.
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