Page 5699 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 6 December 2011
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MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Minister, in the article you stated that there is a problem with prisoners branding themselves with gang affiliations. How will you control what tattoos prisoners receive?
MS GALLAGHER: No, I do not think I said there is a problem with prisoners doing it. I said we would have to examine potential problems with implementing a safe tattooing service such as this—not that this was happening but that this would be something that we would look at as part of a decision about whether or not it could or should be implemented at the AMC as part of a blood-borne virus management strategy.
I do not know how many meetings Mr Seselja has had around a needle and syringe exchange program, how many Mr Smyth has had or indeed how many Mr Hanson has had. But I have had many meetings on this, and with public health experts. Indeed a highly respected infectious diseases expert has put to me that we should look at this as part of our response and that it may have as good effect as a needle exchange program. But one thing I will not do is be bullied by the crazy hysteria of those opposite into saying that this is something that is too hard to tackle.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Thank you members. Order!
MS GALLAGHER: I tell you, Mr Hanson—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order, members!
MS GALLAGHER: it might be easy for you to start talking about bikie gangs and all the rest of it; it might be really good for you, Mr Hanson, but it will not deal with the issue at the jail.
MR SPEAKER: Members, you know my views. The Chief Minister should not be shouted down. Have you finished, Chief Minister?
MS GALLAGHER: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
MR SMYTH: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Minister, will ACT Health—
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, you asked Mr Smyth, with time to run left on the clock, whether he wished to continue. He stood up and then said, “A
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