Pokies reform – let’s stop the harm by removing the addictive features

This year a significant legislative change will be debated to alter the arrangements related to gaming machines or pokies in this state. The government has made its policy clear with regard to gaming machines. Despite the significant harm caused to many families in our community, gaming machines will not be removed from pubs and clubs. […]

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BURIAL AND CREMATION BILL 2019 

Legislative Council Thursday 21 November 2019 Ms FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, as other members have mentioned, this is basically completing the work started last year, which was quite rushed, when the Anglican Church made a decision to fund its obligations under the National Redress Scheme.  It needed to free up some cash and so […]

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JUSTICE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (ORGANISATIONAL LIABILITY FOR CHILD ABUSE) BILL 2019

Legislative Council Thursday 21 November 2019 Ms FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, I commend the Government for continuing to act on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.  It is an area that has received significant attention and rightly so. I reiterate the Leader’s comments in the second reading […]

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Pill Testing and Patron Safety at Music Festivals

Legislative Council Tuesday 19 November 2019  Ms  FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, I move – (1)     That the Legislative Council notes:            (a)   the Report of the State Coroner’s Court of New South Wales of the Inquest into the death of six patrons of NSW music festivals (the Report), released […]

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 Live Well Tasmania

Legislative Council Tuesday 19 November, 2019 Ms FORREST (Murchison) Mr President, Live Well Tasmania is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Wynyard.  Its mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of our community with a focus on disadvantaged youth.  It uses a whole-of-community wellbeing approach. It provides programs, projects, workshops and events in the community […]

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Stop this miserable funding cycle, get parties together on health

Spending too little each year, then a paltry catch-up, sets up our health system for failure. There’s a surreal aspect to the current public commentary on the health crisis gripping Tasmania. We know there’s a problem and we need a solution. Everyone avoids talking about the giant elephant in the room, the Government’s unsustainable fiscal […]

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Political donations reform needed now: MLC and Labor

The government is under pressure to release its final report on a review of the Electoral Act including political donations. A government spokesman said: “As we have previously said, the review’s interim report has been released, with a final report expected to government by the end of the year.” Independent member for Murchison Ruth Forrest […]

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A new future for healthcare in Tasmania

The Advocate (2 December, 2019) reported on the recent Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) 2019 Tasmania Report, noting it paints ‘a grim picture of the state’s future if targeted investment into critical services is not achieved.’ The underlying issue, that almost everyone avoids talking about, is the government’s unsustainable fiscal position. The State […]

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