Page 3826 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2013

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terms of the variety of insurance products and the opportunity to go with a particular company and bundle a range of insurance products and achieve savings, that is of course a matter for the marketplace.

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.

DR BOURKE: Minister, what are some other changes to CTP that would benefit Canberra motorists?

MADAM SPEAKER: Sorry, can you just repeat that, please, Dr Bourke?

DR BOURKE: Yes. What are some other changes to CTP that would benefit Canberra motorists?

MADAM SPEAKER: I will allow the question. It is slightly hypothetical, but I would also ask the minister not to anticipate the announcement of government policy.

MR BARR: Thank you for the guidance, Madam Speaker. As I have indicated publicly on more than one occasion, a no-fault CTP scheme in which all persons injured in accidents receive access to treatment and rehabilitation would be a significant improvement for Canberra motorists, as well as helping those who may currently otherwise not receive such help. It would certainly assist in lowering premiums.

Quite simply, a scheme such as ours, in which people injured in motor vehicle accidents can sue for pain and suffering, even for relatively minor injury, places upward pressure on premiums. It is the view of the government that all people injured in a motor vehicle accident ought to have equal access to the scheme and equivalent outcome opportunities based on early treatment, rehabilitation and return to health.

This is particularly important in the ACT because the overwhelming majority of injuries incurred under our scheme are amenable to being dealt with in the same way. Unlike those opposite, the government remains committed to CTP reform and achieving better outcomes for motorists and for accident victims.

Disability services—insurance

MR WALL: My question is to the Minister for Disability, Children and Young People. Minister, the NDIS is due to commence operation in the ACT on 1 July 2014. On 23 October you advised in this place:

We will come back to the community in the new year about the phase-in and those other key decisions, share them with the community and share them with members here.

Minister, when will you make the final decisions about the introduction of the NDIS, and what confidence can the community have that it will ensure a smooth transition?


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