FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
The Hon. R. D. DYER: I refer to the question without notice asked by the Hon. Patricia Forsythe on 7 December 1995 concerning education programs dealing with the physical and psychological after-effects of female genital mutilation. My colleague the Minister for Health has advised:
Legislation making the practice of female genital mutilation illegal in NSW was proclaimed on 1 May 1995. The NSW Department of Health advises that a community education program is being oversighted by an Interdepartmental Committee on which the Department is represented.
Since the Committee is chaired by the Ethnic Affairs Commission, any questions concerning the program should be directed to the Premier as he has ministerial responsibility for the Commission.
The NSW Health Department advises that the Commonwealth Government will allocate $140,000 annually for 5 years to the Department. This funding is to support the NSW Government initiative and to develop training and education for health workers to assist those women and girls living in Australia who are at risk of, or have already been subjected to female genital mutilation, to minimise adverse health outcomes and psychosocial harm. The NSW Health Department is currently developing a proposal for utilisation of those funds.