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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 13 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 4223 ..

(b) give to the Minister a report containing the assessment together with a recommendation either that the scientific trial continue for a stated time, or that it cease.

(3) The Minister must present a copy of each report to the Legislative Assembly within 6 sitting days after receiving the report.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health and Community Care) (11.43): Mr Speaker, I move the following amendment to Mr Stanhope's proposed new Parts:

This amendment adds to the list of people on the advisory committee the Youth Coalition of the ACT, who requested that they be added. The power will be there to add or delete people by regulation. However, as I was considering the Youth Coalition, it is more open to include them in the amendments today.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (11.44): I have only just seen Mr Stanhope's list of people, to which Mr Moore is adding the Youth Coalition of the ACT. I had a talk to someone whose views on drugs are well known, who has suffered a tragic loss in the family and who has been quite vocal about, and interested in, the issue - Mr Warwick Gower. He is interested in going on this committee. He is in the gallery here tonight. He is a shopkeeper in the middle of Civic.

Someone with his interest would probably be an ideal person on a committee such as this. The only possibility for someone like Mr Gower to go on the committee would be as the representative of an association representing residents of the area where the facility is to be located. But residents might have different views to those of shopkeepers.

Whilst there are some worthy bodies on the list, there are some very useful citizens who would be able to serve this committee well now that it looks like we have to have this trial. I think the list is somewhat restrictive.

MR MOORE (Minister for Health and Community Care) (11.45): Perhaps I can answer that question. Mr Stefaniak, you would know that Mr Gower is a very active member of the Canberra City Heart Business Association. That body is on the list. He can be their representative if they choose to nominate him, or he can have an influence on their nominee. That is how the positions work. I am sure there are many people across Canberra who would be interested in being part of the body but, as with all these things, you are trying to find a balance. I think most of us would recognise that it is already a very extensive list.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (11.46): I hear what Mr Moore says. I would suggest that maybe consideration should be given to a more general category for two or three people who do not fit those rather specific groups, if you want this thing to work.

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