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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3686 ..

We can do better for people with disabilities AND WE ARE DOING BETTER.

We don't get it right all the time. And that is one of the reasons why the Commissioner for Health Complaints, Mr Ken Patterson, is currently examining this area.

But to simply bag the service and the many dedicated people who work within it is unfair and short-sighted.

Changes will have to be made to things like the placement of residents but these cannot and will not happen overnight.

Recently, I was criticised for failing clients of our disability services because I did not allegedly pay enough attention to their needs.

Mr Speaker, I will stand on this Government's record and our commitment to making some tough decisions in order to improve problem areas like this one.

We have provided more resources, more support and more impetus to reforming disability services than any previous Territory Government.

Can I assure Members that of all my responsibilities as a Minister, disabilities and mental health services are the most demanding.

I welcome the contribution that all Members can make to this debate and to improving this area of service delivery.

I can only hope that it will be at least one area in this Assembly where we can work together.

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