Page 2919 - Week 08 - Thursday, 17 August 2017
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& Rescue have again confirmed this afternoon that the Centenary hospital is a modern and safe building.
Centenary Hospital for Women and Children—aluminium cladding
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, you stated in your ministerial statement that the facade panels on the Centenary hospital complied with all relevant codes at the time of issue of a final certificate of occupancy and use. The national construction code states that while the use of combustible cladding is not prohibited, medium-rise buildings or buildings close to others generally are not permitted to use cladding. Minister, why were these panels used given that the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children is close to other buildings on the hospital campus?
MS FITZHARRIS: It is certainly my understanding, and it has been confirmed to me by Health, that the Centenary hospital was compliant with all building codes and did receive a certificate of occupancy before it opened.
MR HANSON: Minister, what specific actions did ACT Health take to ensure that it was safe to install the facade panels prior to the construction of the Centenary hospital?
MS FITZHARRIS: That would have taken place in 2011 and 2012. I will triple check but, as I have said, it was compliant material that complied with the national building code and the local building code and the hospital received a certificate of occupancy.
MS LAWDER: Will you add the use of aluminium cladding to the list of high and extreme risks already identified in the AECOM report?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will not be adding to the AECOM report.
Justice—drug and alcohol court
MS CHEYNE: My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the minister update the Assembly on how work towards a drug and alcohol court is progressing?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Cheyne for her question and her interest in this particularly important area and positive initiative from the ACT Labor government.
The drug and alcohol court will help make Canberra safer. It will help make Canberra stronger and more connected by bringing a restorative approach to criminal justice. One of this government’s top priorities is to support a modern, best practice court system. The drug and alcohol court will bring a best practice approach to treating people whose crimes are primarily the result of addiction.
The 2017-18 budget provides $400,000 to support research and planning for the new court. That funding will support a Supreme Court working group which is studying the best ways to implement the new court. We are particularly fortunate in this
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