Page 413 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 7 March 2006
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government’s essential services to the public. I drew members’ attention to this pattern in light of yet another attack, this time on ACT Health.
Since it has been in power this government has improved all levels of health care. As Mr Corbell said, no other ACT government has made a greater investment in the health of our people. Let me give you another example of this government’s achievement in health. I refer to the latest newsletter from ACT Health’s newsletter Healthy territory. Under the heading “Population Health” the newsletter states:
Immunisation is one of the most cost effective public health interventions against the morbidity and mortality of vaccine preventable diseases. When coverage rates are high enough, immunisation protects not just the individual, but also the wider community by preventing vaccine preventable diseases getting a foothold.
The Australian Capital Territory has become the first state or territory in Australia to achieve 95 per cent immunisation coverage in any group. The figures were revealed in the immunisation coverage rates released recently by the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, which collects data from immunisation providers on immunisation given to children up to seven years of age.
Immunisation and coverage rates are measured at three milestones—12 to 15 months of age, 24 to 27 months of age and 72 to 75 months of age. No other State or Territory in Australia has achieved above 95 per cent immunisation coverage for any cohort.
ACT Health has implemented a number of initiatives to increase coverage rates in all age groups, including following up unimmunised and under-immunised children; capturing data that may have been lost; and transcribing overseas immunisation records.
This achievement has been a collaborative effort by immunisation providers, ACT Health, the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, and the ACT Community and parents.
I can only refute Mrs Burke’s earlier claims and those of her colleagues about the ACT health system. I echo the remarks of earlier government speakers. In refuting Mrs Burke, I express my confidence in the ACT public health system and thank all those frontline and behind the scenes staff that work in it.
Hilton Hotel bombing
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (6.01): I am sorry that Mr Stefaniak is not here because I want to put on the record for his benefit in particular a record of the Hilton Hotel bombing. Of course he can read it later. During the recent inquiry into the government’s draft bill on terror, Mr Stefaniak referred to the bombing as a terrorist attack. The report states:
… in February 1978 … a bomb exploded outside Sydney’s Hilton Hotel, killing three people and injuring seven others.
The bomb was in a garbage bin outside the hotel, which was the venue for a meeting of 12 Asia-Pacific leaders of the Commonwealth group of nations.
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