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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 284 ..
MS CARNELL (continuing):
the areas of concern. Mr Sherman separately and independently made his own assessment by examining documentation and by interviewing a wide range of relevant personnel.
In conclusion, my Government is committed to ensuring that such failures identified by the coroner's report are not repeated in the future. By having an independent assessment we can now see where we need to focus our attention. There is still work to be done but, as Mr Sherman's report notes, significant steps have already been taken to improve and standardise procedures. The coordination committee that I propose to establish will ensure that work is progressed to a satisfactory level within 12 months. The Government proposes to ask Mr Sherman to return in a year's time and provide a further report on the outcomes that have been achieved.
Mr Speaker, I commend Mr Sherman's report to the Assembly. It is unfortunate how often some members in this place attempt to undermine the reputation of eminent people like Mr Sherman. Members of the Labor Party were making comments this morning, before they even had the report, that it was a whitewash. We cannot expect people of Mr Sherman's qualifications to be willing to do work for this Assembly if that approach is taken - and it is taken time and time again. If we want the best people to be willing to provide their services to this Government and to this Assembly, we have to stop that sort of mud-slinging , at people who should be and are above that.
Debate (on motion by Mr Stanhope )adjourned.
MS CARNELL (Chief Minister) (4.12): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the ACT Government Implementation Report 1998-99 on the 1997 report Bringing them home by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Mr Speaker, I ask for the leave of the Assembly to have my speech incorporated in Hansard. I do so in the interests of meeting members' obligations later today.
Leave granted.
The speech read as follows:
Mr Speaker, I am very pleased to table today the Government's Implementation Report for 1998-99 on the recommendations of the Bringing them home Report.
On 26 May 1997, the Commonwealth Government tabled the Human Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (HREOC) Bringing them home Report. This Report contained fifty-four (54) recommendations from
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