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12862 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Tuesday 16 November 2004 ______ Mr Speaker (The Hon. John Joseph Aquilina) took the chair at 2.15 p.m. Mr Speaker offered the Prayer. STATE GOVERNMENT FAMILIARISATION PROGRAM TWENTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY Mr SPEAKER: It is with pleasure that I advise the House that today, together with my colleague the President, I welcomed to the Parliament of New South Wales participants in the twenty-first anniversary of the State Government Familiarisation Program. This program is an activity of the Parliamentary Education and Community Relations Section. The operating surplus supports parliamentary education programs, particularly for students from non-metropolitan areas. Over its 21 years 2,415 businesspeople have taken part in the program. The President and I joined in a special luncheon at which we presented certificates of appreciation to speakers and departments who have been involved since the inception of the program. MINISTRY Mr BOB CARR: I advise honourable members that during the absence of the Minister for Police, who is attending the Australian Police Ministers Council in Tasmania, I will answer questions on his behalf. PETITIONS Wagga Wagga Electorate Schools Airconditioning Petition requesting the installation of airconditioning in all learning spaces in public schools in the Wagga Wagga electorate, received from Mr Daryl Maguire. Mature Workers Program Petition requesting that the Mature Workers Program be restored, received from Ms Clover Moore. Skilled Migrant Placement Program Petition requesting that the Skilled Migrant Placement Program be restored, received from Ms Clover Moore. Gaming Machine Tax Petitions opposing the decision to increase poker machine tax, received from Mrs Judy Hopwood and Mr Andrew Tink. F6 Corridor Petition requesting the reinstatement of the F6 corridor for the future road needs of Sydney, received from Mr Malcolm Kerr. Road Tunnel Air Filtration Petitions asking the Government to ensure that all Sydney road tunnels are fitted with air filters, received from Ms Clover Moore and Mr Michael Richardson. Cremorne Community Mental Health Centre Petition opposing the proposed relocation of health services provided by the Cremorne Community Mental Health Centre, received from Mrs Jillian Skinner. 16 November 2004 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 12863 Breast Screening Funding Petition requesting effective breast screening for women and maintenance of funding to BreastScreen NSW, received from Mr Steve Cansdell and Mrs Judy Hopwood. Greater Murray and Southern Area Health Services Merger Petition opposing the merger of the Greater Murray and Southern Area Health Services, received from Mr Daryl Maguire. Mental Health Services Petition requesting urgent maintenance of and increased funding for mental health services, received from Ms Clover Moore. CountryLink Rail Services Petitions opposing the abolition of CountryLink rail services and their replacement with bus services in rural and regional New South Wales, received from Mr Steve Cansdell, Mr Daryl Maguire and Mr John Turner. Business Enterprise Centres Petition requesting the reinstatement and funding of business enterprise centres, received from Mr Steve Cansdell. Temora Agricultural Research and Advisory Station Petition opposing the closure of the Temora Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, received from Mr Ian Armstrong. Sow Stall Ban Petition requesting the total ban of sow stalls, received from Ms Clover Moore. Cat and Dog Meat Sale Petition requesting legislation banning the sale of cat and dog meat for human or animal consumption, received from Ms Clover Moore. Pet Sales Petition requesting a ban on the sale of pets from pet retail outlets, and that such sales be restricted to qualified registered breeders and pounds, received from Ms Clover Moore. Alcohol Wet Centres Petition requesting the establishment of wet centres in the inner city to provide a safe place for chronic drinkers, received from Ms Clover Moore. UNIVERSITY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL Bill read a third time. LEGISLATION REVIEW COMMITTEE Report Ms Virginia Judge, on behalf of the Chairman, tabled the report entitled "Legislation Review Digest No. 16 of 2004", dated 16 November 2004. 12864 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 16 November 2004 DRINK SPIKING Ministerial Statement Mr BOB CARR (Maroubra—Premier, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Citizenship) [2.32 p.m.], by leave: Drink spiking is an insidious practice. Predators use drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB [gamma hydroxybutyrate], to make young women vulnerable to sexual assault, robbery or other serious crimes. A report by the Australian Institute of Criminology estimated that as recently as last year there were up to 4,000 cases of drink spiking across Australia, that one-third of drink spikings end in sexual assault, that four out of five victims were young women and that only one in six cases were reported to police. Honourable members would, therefore, be interested to hear about measures the Government is taking to reduce the incidence of that crime. The Government will create a new summary offence of drink spiking which will attract a maximum penalty of two years in gaol. Currently the law makes drink spiking an offence when the offender intends to then commit an indictable offence such as sexual assault or robbery. However, it will now be an offence to spike drinks, to intoxicate or to inebriate innocent victims, thus sending a clear message that drink spiking is not acceptable, even as a prank. Our law enforcement response in that area will also be improved. A police-led government drink spiking action group will be established. That group will be devoted to public education on the issue. The action group will include representatives from the liquor industry, the Department of Health and the Department of Gaming and Racing. The action group will shape police and industry strategies and explore further responses designed to tackle this problem. It will investigate ways to ensure that drink-spiking allegations are always taken seriously by police when reported. It will review police training and awareness, especially as they relate to women and contribute to underreporting. In addition, the action group will examine the adequacy of controls on the supply of rapidly acting sedatives that can be used for drink spiking. Those will include prescription drugs sold at pharmacies and those now available only in hospitals. If evidence shows that greater controls are necessary to prevent misuse, the Government will implement those controls. This action complements a range of public awareness campaigns we have initiated across the State, including education campaigns in schools, leaflets issued to coincide with Schoolies Week and a web site entitled "About Date Rape" which contains information for women aged 15 and older. The Government wants to build on those earlier efforts. That is why the Department of Gaming and Racing will, early next year, conduct an industry-led public awareness campaign encouraging licensed premises to adopt preventive measures to minimise drink spiking. The campaign will include a component on drink spiking and training in the responsible service of alcohol. The House would agree that initiatives on the responsible service of alcohol in licensed premises have been very successful. Bar staff have been educated about the legislation and what they can responsibly do to minimise the consequences of reckless drinking. I thank the industry for its co-operation on all the initiatives associated with that campaign. We encourage licensed premises to adopt preventive measures to minimise drink spiking. That is what the campaign will be all about. The component of the campaign relating to drink spiking and the responsible service of alcohol will include industry-wide codes of practice and educational material for patrons, such as drink coasters. Finally, I advise the House that the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy met to discuss this matter in Brisbane last week. It endorsed further action to raise public awareness of these matters. That national approach has this State's full support and co-operation. I thank the House for its attention. Mr JOHN BROGDEN (Pittwater—Leader of the Opposition) [2.37 p.m.]: It is tragedy that in modern life people going to a pub, bar or nightclub have to worry about whether some predator has slipped something into their drink that could result in them becoming the victim of a sexual assault. Today the warning to young women in particular is to be careful with their drinks when they are in a bar. Whether the drink has been bought for them or whether it is next to them at the bar, they have to be careful about it. It is sad to have that worry in this day and age, but the reality is that some people get their kicks out of acting as predators and preying on vulnerable young women. While taking the opportunity to go out and have a good time at any time of the day or night during Schoolies Week, and particularly during the forthcoming round of school formals, young people, particularly young women, and their parents should be aware of this evil and be vigilant at all times. 16 November 2004 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 12865 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE _________ NEPEAN HOSPITAL AND MR PAUL LEAVER Mr JOHN BROGDEN: My question without notice is addressed to the Minister for Health. After more than a year in Nepean Hospital suffering from complications from pancreatitis, including a maggot infestation in his feet, why has 53-year-old Paul Leaver been shunted off to a nursing home, where he will not receive adequate rehabilitation, after being told by Nepean Hospital that it needed his bed? Mr MORRIS IEMMA: I will obtain a report on the circumstances relating to the patient to whom the Leader of the Opposition just referred and report back to the House. In relation to the part of his question about beds at Nepean Hospital, I can report that Nepean Hospital, as part of the sustainable access plan, has increased the number of available beds in order to provide the hospital with additional capacity to meet the increasing demand.