Page 4231 - Week 11 - Thursday, 25 October 2018
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The formation of the implementation oversight steering committee has provided me with assurance that the recommendations have been implemented in the spirit of the Moss review and to community expectations. It has also provided a forum for key representatives of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to meet regularly with high-level government officials to discuss issues their community faces. I take this moment to particularly thank Ms Julie Tongs OAM, Mr Anthony Longbottom, Ms Joanne Chivers and Ms Katrina Fanning for their strong contributions and participation in this important process.
Following the first meeting of the implementation oversight steering committee on 25 May 2017, the independent chair, Mr Russell Taylor, informed me that in fulfilling his role he would ensure that the interests of the community and the Freeman family were being met. In doing so, he indicated to me that he would test the implementation strategy for each of the Moss review recommendations against the following three questions: has it been implemented; will it last for the long haul; and does it meet community expectations?
In July 2018 I was informed by Mr Taylor that the implementation oversight steering committee was satisfied that each of the Moss review recommendations had been sufficiently met—with one exception that I will outline shortly—and therefore to close the Moss review implementation project. The independent chair has provided me with closure reports which fully outline the key activities that demonstrate achievement against each of the recommendations. These closure reports have been signed by the chair of the implementation oversight steering committee and the respective leads of the interdirectorate project team, providing strong accountability against their implementation. I will table these reports today, at the end of my remarks.
Steven Freeman’s death was also the subject of a coronial inquest, as required by the Coroners Act 1997, as a death in custody. Coronial findings were handed down on 11 April 2018. Coroner Cook made seven recommendations to the ACT government. On 23 August 2018 the government agreed to the seven recommendations made by Coroner Cook. The ACT government has agreed in full to four recommendations and agreed in principle to three.
In February 2017 the ACT Health Services Commissioner advised the ACT government that she would conduct a commission-initiated consideration of matters relating to the delivery of health services within the AMC, in response to recommendation 7 of the Moss review. On 9 March 2018 the ACT Health Services Commissioner publically released her report on the review of the opioid replacement treatment program at the AMC. The report contains 16 recommendation that relate to ACT Health and ACT Corrective Services.
On 23 August 2018 the ACT government responded to the report, agreeing to 12 recommendations, agreeing in principle with three others and noting one of the recommendations. These recommendations are now being implemented by ACT Corrective Services and ACT Health.
A key recommendation from the Moss review was around improved oversight of the ACT’s corrections system. Effective independent oversight is vitally important to
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