Questions

Published: 25 March 2022

Legislative Council, Thursday 24 March 2022

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to Tasmanians experiencing ongoing symptoms following a COVID-19 infection, suffering a condition known as ‘long COVID’:

1. Is there any information available to identify the percentage of patients who contract COVID-19 and develop symptoms of Long COVID;
a. If so, please provide estimates or actual figures available.

2. How many people have presented to public health facilities and out-patient clinics with symptoms of Long COVID since March 2020; and

Published: 10 March 2022

Legislative Council, Thursday 10 March 2022

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the cycle pathway along the North West Coast I understand TasRail has standards related to fence heights where they are a common fence with neighbouring properties.

I ask the Leader to provide:

1. a copy of these standards; and

2. any other evidence of when these standards have been amended to adjust the heights whilst maintaining a safe separation between trains and users of the cycle/walking pathways.

Published: 18 November 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 17 November 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the recent removal of a popular and well utilised barbecue shed on the Western side of the Black River near Spionkop in Circular Head:

1. Who, or which department, made the decision or was responsible for the removal of this shed;

2. Why was the decision to have it removed rather than restored made;

Published: 28 October 2021

Legislative Council, Thursday 28 October, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

1. Are there currently any density limits for parents and visitors attending school assemblies, award presentations and events such as carnivals to enable all parents who wish to attend to do so;

2. If so, are any changes to density limits to be made when the States reaches fully vaccinated rates of, 70%, 80% and 90%?

Published: 28 October 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 27 October, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

The federal Attorney-General, Michaelia Cash, has indicated a Religious Discrimination Bill will be introduced to the Federal Parliament by December 2021. Two previous iterations of the Bill have included provisions that effectively override and weaken section 17(1) of the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act which effectively prohibits a range of bullying behaviour. Its wording is echoed in a range of government and non-government anti-bullying policies. Tasmanians, including those with disability have accessed its protections.

My questions are to the Leader:

Published: 27 October 2021

Legislative Council, Tuesday 26 October, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the enactment of the legislation relating to the expungement of historic criminal records for homosexuality and for cross-dressing in 2017, I understand there have not been any successful expungement applications as noted in the independent statutory two-year review of the legislation with a report released last year. To address deficiencies in the legislation and to boost applications, the review put forward 13 recommendations. The Government has not provided an official response to the review. My question to the Government through the Attorney-General,

(1) Which recommendations will or have been accepted?

Published: 27 October 2021

Legislative Council, Tuesday 26 October, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

I need to give some historical background to my question. In January 2015 the Coroner's Office failed to recognise Ben Jago as a deceased male partner's senior next-of-kin resulting in Ben not being able to see his partner's body and being forced to negotiate with his partner's family to attend the funeral as a friend. The Coroner's decision was based on a misunderstanding of Tasmania's Relationship Act. Ben Jago subsequently lodged a discrimination complaint with Equal Opportunity Tasmania against the Coroner's Office. The Anti-Discrimination Commissioner found a prima facie case but the Coroner's Office asserted immunity from the Anti-Discrimination Act before the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal.

Published: 27 October 2021

Legislative Council, Tuesday 26 October, 2021

Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

(1) Prior to the election, then health minister, Sarah Courtney released a statement committing to enable pharmacist immunisers access to NIP vaccines and to undertake a scope of practice review for pharmacists:

(a) What is the proposed timeframe for this review; and

(b) What stage is the review at?

(2) Regarding access to NIP vaccines, I note that the timing of implementation of this is important for the timing of vaccine orders and access as evidenced by the role pharmacists and pharmacies have played in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations:

When will access to NIP vaccines for pharmacies be progressed?

Published: 23 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the Tasmanian Regulatory Reform Report referred to in Committee A Budget Estimates Hearings and the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill no 1 on Tuesday 21 September 2021:

1. Please provide a copy of the letter or other communication provided to key stakeholders invited to provide comment and feedback that informed this Report; and

2. Please provide details of stakeholders whose feedback was sought for this Report.

Published: 23 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST QUESTION to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Ms PALMER -

(1) Prior to the election, the then health minister, Sarah Courtney, released a statement to enable pharmacist immunisers access to NIP vaccines and to undertake a scope of practice review for pharmacists.

(a) What is the proposed timeline for this review?

(b) What stage is the review at?

Published: 23 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs PALMER

1. Is there a closer COVID testing option for Circular Head residents who are in home quarantine; and

a. If so;
i. where is it; and
ii. why are people not informed of this?

Published: 22 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs PALMER

With regard to the proposed walking and mountain bike track around the Great Lake, during the assessment process and subsequently if approved:

1. How will community concerns related to the increased risk of theft, vandalism and bushfire be addressed through the assessment process;

2. Has or will the potential impact of increased costs to shack owners i.e. rates and insurance increases been considered;

3. What impact will this proposal have on current recreational activities i.e. fishing and hunting and the ability of local residents to continue to access the lake;

Published: 22 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs PALMER

With regard to the welcome and planned new ambulance station in Burnie

1 For the last two years, what are the annual average number of daily ambulance call outs from the Burnie Ambulance Station listed by day of the week;

2 How does the Government propose to make it safe for exiting and entering ambulances accessing the proposed Brickport Road entry/exit point during peak traffic times;

Published: 22 September 2021

Ms FORREST question to DEPUTY LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Ms PALMER

With regard to the Cross-Party Working Group for Local Government Reform -

(1) Does the Minister acknowledge that the Legislative Council is part of the Parliament referred to in the PESRAC recommendation that stated - Parliament should own the Local Government reform process?

(2) Please provide copies of the minutes of the three meetings of the working group to date.

(3) What mechanism will be utilised to engage with members of the Legislative Council?

(4) What date will members of the Legislative Council be invited/engaged in the process thus ensuring the recommendations of PESRAC are met?

Published: 21 September 2021

Legislative Council, Tuesday 21 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the leave liability within the Police Department:

1. Please provide a breakdown of the leave liability of sworn police officers appointed under the Police Service Act 2003 over the last three years?

Published: 21 September 2021

Legislative Council, Tuesday 21 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to availability of ventilators and staff required to care for ventilated patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU’s) in Tasmania’s three major hospitals:

1 How many ventilators are available in each ICU at;
a. RHH
b. LGH
c. NWRH

Published: 02 September 2021

Legislative Council, Thursday 2 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to occupancy of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Tasmania’s three major hospitals:

1 What has the average weekly occupancy of each ICU at Royal Hobart Hospitals, Launceston General Hospital and North West Regional Hospital over the last three years?

Answers:

1 The weekly average (50th percentile) occupancy for the Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Critical Care Medicine (DCCM) is provided in the table below:

Published: 02 September 2021

Legislative Council, Thursday 2 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to the two AFL Finals matches played in Tasmania on the weekend of 28 and 29 August:

1. How many players, AFL officials and other support staff were permitted entry into the State;
2. Were all players, AFL officials and other support staff required to stay in hotel quarantine if they were not flying in and out on the same day;
3. How many players, AFL officials and other support staff were accommodated in hotel quarantine; and
a. What hotels or facilities were used for this purpose;
4. How were the costs of hotel quarantine met;

Published: 02 September 2021

Legislative Council, Thursday 2 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

Please provide Estimated Outcome figures for all line items in the Tables listed below;

• Communities Tasmania – Tables 2.2, 2.10 and 2.12
• Finance General - Tables 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5
• Health – Tables 5.2, 5.5, 5.8
• Ministerial and Parliamentary Support – Tables 7.1, 7.3

Published: 01 September 2021

Legislative Council, Wednesday 1 September 2021

Ms FORREST - to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

1. Have there been any further animal welfare concerns raised since 1 June 2021;

2. How many visits, with prior notification and/or no notification listed separately to Van Dairy VDL Farms have been made by animal welfare officers since 1 June 2021; and

3. What was the outcome of these visits; and

4. If no further animal welfare site visits have been conducted, how is animal welfare being monitored at the VDL farms?