Page 2076 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 6 August 2014
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MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Health, Minister for Higher Education and Minister for Regional Development) (11.55): I rise to speak in support of the motion and the amendment moved by Ms Porter and, again, thank other members for working collaboratively on this, particularly Mr Hanson and Ms Porter’s office, to reach agreement on a motion that all members in this place can support. As I said yesterday, I think the fact that the Assembly stands united on the response from the ACT government to the Mr Fluffy issue puts us in good stead to deal with it across the community and also in our representation to the commonwealth.
Yesterday I placed on the record a comprehensive ministerial statement updating the Assembly on the actions the government has taken to address the issue to date. I do not need to repeat the detail contained in that statement but I do want to canvass some of the issues that have been raised around capacity which confront the asbestos task force. I would like to emphasise that the government is facing a challenge we inherited on loose-fill asbestos in much the same way as we confronted the 2003 bushfire emergency. Emergencies place significant strain on resources, they require quick responses, rapid expansion of skilled capacity, surges in demand and support for people with shattered lives in shock, in distress, and an eye to the long term, the rebuilding and reshaping of hopes and dreams which have been damaged and changed.
This is why the asbestos response task force’s work is so crucial. The task force exists to bring the full weight of government experience and expertise to deal with loose-fill asbestos across the community, in the homes that it has been found in. In forming the task force, expertise was drawn from across government. As I mentioned yesterday, it has staff who have experience in managing the impacts of asbestos, staff who understand the planning system and can help with the assessments and building and remediation work and staff who have great skills in supporting the community through times of stress and crisis. It is a whole-of-government response and I believe this is already providing a comprehensive and compassionate response to the needs of those people who are using it.
But members are right when they acknowledge it is a huge task and one which every member of the task force has taken on with determination, drive and an unwavering focus to support those who need it most. Can I say that staff have taken it on at very short notice when they were approached. Certainly Mr Kefford, when he was approached by me to be the lead executive in charge of this, took it on without a second thought. That is a real credit to him, his senior colleagues and all of the staff that have been provided across directorates.
Often it is fairly easy to criticise the work that public servants do. It is less often that people stand together and congratulate the work that is going on. I know people are on the phones on Sunday at 11 o’clock at night. I know Mr Kefford has provided his mobile phone number to particularly distressed families. I know that work goes on over the weekends. It really has been incredible to sit and watch, from my position, just how much the staff have pulled together and are continuing to work together to continue to deliver the best response they can for those families in need.
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