Page 270 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019
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positive partnership with the elected body as we seek to address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans.
I commend the report to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Lower Cotter catchment restoration evaluation
MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, Minister for Building Quality Improvement, Minister for Business and Regulatory Services and Minister for Seniors and Veterans) (3.22): On behalf of Mr Gentleman, pursuant to standing order 211, I move:
That the Assembly take note of the following paper:
Lower Cotter Catchment Restoration Evaluation—The Heroic and the Dammed.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Harm minimisation and reduction
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Orr): Madam Speaker has received letters from Ms Cheyne, Ms Cody, Mr Coe, Mrs Dunne, Mrs Kikkert, Ms Le Couteur, Mr Milligan, Ms Orr, Mr Parton, Mr Pettersson and Mr Wall proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Madam Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Mr Pettersson be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of harm minimisation and harm reduction initiatives in the ACT.
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (3.23): What are the chances that I, as someone who never gets the MPI, finally get this one, of all of them? I have always been a strong advocate for harm minimisation measures. I will seize every opportunity to talk about them because, quite simply, they save lives.
As a city committed to restorative justice and evidence-based public policy, we should be focused on harm minimisation strategies. To act effectively we must respond to facts and develop policy that is realistic, measured and proportional to the risks at hand. Far too often debate is dominated by ideological battle lines. The essence of harm minimisation is trust. We trust the individual to make choices that are best for them. They can only do this by having all of the information right there in front of them. It is called an informed choice or, as I like to call it, common sense.
This government encouraged informed choice at Groovin the Moo last year in the form of pill testing. Pill testing does not encourage people to take drugs. People who are using drugs come to learn about the substances they are using through pill testing. They learn about the ingredients that could be in them, like paint or lead. They are
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