Page 2049 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994
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Madam Speaker, the other major area of concern was conductive education. We have recommended that the Government provide funding for a pilot program run on the principles of conductive education. Professor Alan Carmichael, former chair of the National Health and Medical Research Council Child Health Committee, was in Canberra briefly towards the end of our inquiry. Mr Moore was able to meet with Professor Carmichael, on behalf of our committee, to discuss in more detail the NHMRC report on conductive education and its applicability in Australia. Mr Moore, in his address to this Assembly on our report, will on behalf of the committee go into detail about our considerations of the question of conductive education. Time does not permit me to go into quite that detail at this point.
Madam Speaker, as I have often said in this place, I believe that our committee system works well. This report is a great example of that system. I want to record my thanks to Mr Moore, Mrs Carnell, Mr Cornwell and Mrs Grassby for the manner in which this committee was able to examine this very important area of social policy. As a committee, our only intent was to fairly examine the reference before us. Given the attitude of the members of this committee, I believe that we were able to do that. I also thank all the members of the various areas of the bureaucracy who gave of their time and efforts in assisting us, particularly the people at the EIS centre at Holder. Russell Keith, the secretary to the committee, and his predecessor, Kim Bond, must be acknowledged for their most professional and proficient work on both our deliberations and our report. But, most importantly, Madam Speaker, we must acknowledge the input by the families and the individuals who gave us their stories. They have enough on their plates, as I am sure we all agree; yet they were only too willing to bring us their experiences. I know that I am speaking on behalf of all of the committee members when I record our thanks to them.
Madam Speaker, although there are some criticisms of the current system in this report, we must acknowledge that the evidence before the committee during our inquiry was to the effect that a lot of the criticisms that we have highlighted have, in fact, already started to receive consideration by the areas of the bureaucracy concerned. I compliment them on the work that they are currently doing to improve those areas of deficiency. By the same token, the committee, in dealing with this issue, felt bound to make some constructive critical comments. We were not on a witch-hunt to point out errors in the system but wanted to highlight the areas where more responsive care and resources were required. I am hopeful that the report will be viewed in that light by everybody concerned. I have no hesitation at all in recommending this report to the Assembly, and I very much look forward to a healthy and good debate within the community at large on the findings that we have made within the report.
MADAM SPEAKER: In accordance with temporary order 77, the resumption of this debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.
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