Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I ask the Leader whether she can inform the House if the report by Judge Harding Clark is being circulated to Members. I have not received a copy. If we are to have a debate it would be important that the report be circulated. I ask on behalf of all Members if a decision has been taken not to circulate reports. I can understand that reports are available on websites and there may be a desire to cut down on the use of paper. However, it is important that Members be provided with reports, in particular when these reports are available to the media and are in the public domain. I suggest that at the least, an e-mail could be sent to Members to inform us of where the report can be found.

Senator Cox raised the issue of women and cancer and I support her remarks. I ask that the issue be extended to question the reason screening for cervical cancer which is currently available in the mid-west region has not been made available nationwide, despite a commitment to do so which has been in existence for a number of years. Cervical screening is a fairly simple programme to operate compared to the breast screening programme. Considering the point made by Senator Cox about the high national level of cancer among women I do not understand the reason it is not available on a nationwide basis.

Yesterday was work-life balance day. To my regret I did not refer to it yesterday and it occurs to me that it seems to have passed us by——