Page 2080 - Week 07 - Thursday, 20 August 2020

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MS BERRY: There are 69 schools in the ACT that have hazardous materials in their schools because they are older schools. They are being managed, remediated and maintained appropriately under the expert advice of organisations like Robson, and they have hazard management plans that are available for school communities to access, at the front office of every school.

MS LEE: Minister, how much funding has been available in the last year specifically to undertake environmental assessments in schools built before 1990?

MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, I am not sure if there is a breakdown or if that kind of detailed information is available. I will check with the Education Directorate and see if it is available easily and is accessible. If it is, I will provide it to the Assembly.

ACT Health—child sex offences

MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, has the ACT Health WhatsApp page of which convicted sex offender Bradley Burch was a member been shut down?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: For the reasons I have provided previously, I am going to take that question on notice.

MRS DUNNE: Minister, has ACT Health been able to determine whether any of the images shared on the page have been forwarded or shared with anyone outside the WhatsApp group?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I will take that question on notice.

MRS JONES: Is WhatsApp an approved method of communication for public servants in the Health Directorate or Canberra Health Services, given that such messages are not discoverable under the FOI Act?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I will get some advice. I will take that question on notice and come back to the Assembly.

Community services—wellbeing calls service

MR PETTERSSON: My question is to the Minister for Community Services and Facilities. Minister, can you please update the Assembly on the ACT government’s recent partnership with the Red Cross to deliver the wellbeing calls service?

MS ORR: I thank Mr Pettersson for the question. On 4 August I had the pleasure of launching the new wellbeing calls service. The ACT government has partnered with the Red Cross to deliver this service, which forms an important part of the ACT community recovery plan.

This year we have experienced unprecedented challenges, with the bushfire crisis, the hailstorm and now COVID-19 all having a significant impact on our community and affecting each of us differently.


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