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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (29 November) . . Page.. 3360 ..
MR OSBORNE (continuing):
drug scene; one that is conducted by those who possess no predisposed point of view either way.
By way of closing, Mr Speaker, I would just remind members that there are many thousands of needles discarded unsafely in Canberra every year, many of which are discovered by members of the public and pose a health risk of some kind to those who find them. Some of these needles cause injury. I believe that this legislation does provide an opportunity to reduce the number of discarded needles and improve the amenity of public space in the city without further risking the health of intravenous drug users.
Finally, Mr Speaker, I do envisage that perhaps the legislation will be amended at some stage, because I am hopeful of negotiating a compromise with the government on the issue of retractable needles. I look forward to working with the government on that issue and on this very important issue. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Moore ) adjourned to the next sitting.
Mr Rugendyke, by leave, presented the bill and its explanatory memorandum.
Title read by Clerk.
MR RUGENDYKE (11.21): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, I present this bill today as a clear-cut solution to the impasse which has developed due to the government's refusal to comply with the majority will of the Legislative Assembly and instigate an independent inquiry into disability care services in the ACT. Members are aware of the background and I will endeavour not to churn up old ground. However, I believe that it is important that I briefly set the scene to show how we have arrived at this point and highlight why it is essential that the Assembly support this bill to ensure that democracy does prevail now and into the future.
We all know that in October the Assembly passed a motion calling on the government to appoint a board of inquiry under the Inquiries Act 1991 to investigate disability care matters relating to a range of systemic issues, including service quality, service monitoring and accountability, consumer protection and complaints, and resource allocation. The Assembly passed the motion 10 votes to seven, but the government has done everything possible to resist the will of this chamber.
The core of the problem is that, under the presiding act, it is the executive that has the call. The Assembly can say what it likes and can pass any form of motion it likes, but at the end of the day the executive can defy the democratic vote of the 17 elected members. In this case, that is exactly what the cabinet has done. In short, this bill fixes that problem. This amending bill proposes to make such resolutions binding.
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