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Disability Discrimination Bill
Following is the speech by the acting Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Shelley Lau, in the resumption of the second reading debate on the Disability Discrimination Bill in the Legislative Council yesterday (Thursday):
Mr President,
Three years ago, the Green Paper entitled "Equal Opportunities and Full Participation: A Better Tomorrow for All", suggested that "legislative changes could be proposed to bring about equalization of opportunities and full participation for people with a disability." Since then, as we expanded our rehabilitation facilities, in particular those for ex-mentally ill people, we met with strong opposition from some local residents. Some of our Honourable Members here to the obviously met with some of the experience. It certainly helped convince the Administration that to achieve our goal of integrating people with a disability into our community, we would need more than public education and persuasion. Today, with Members' support, we will put into Hong Kong's statute books legislation to ensure equal opportunities and full participation for people with a disability, so that they would never again need to feel, as Members fear, and to quote Dr C H Leong, "children of a lesser God". It is a major step towards creating "a better tomorrow for all".
In October 1993, we made a commitment in this Council that we would decide on the kind of anti-discrimination legislation which would best suit local needs and circumstances. Having looked at such legislation elsewhere in the world, we announced in July 1994 our proposals for a comprehensive Disability Discrimination Bill. Mr President, in May this year, we introduced the Bill into this Council. Mr President, in three years, we have turned the suggestion made in the 1992 Green Paper into a reality. It has taken us some time to reach this point because of the need to consult widely, both locally and overseas. This remains, after all, a relatively new area for legislation the world over. The UK, as we have heard from the Honourable Anna Wu, is only now processing its own legislation. We have proceeded, therefore, with all due care.
I would, at this point, thank Dr the Honourable C H Leong, Chairman of the Bills Committee, and Members of that Committee, in particular the Hon Anna Wu, for the thought and effort that they have put into studying the Bill and for their kind words this evening. As a result of all the contributions, the many useful discussions we have had with disability groups, and the deputations we have heard, the Administration will be introducing a number of amendments. I will explain these during the Committee Stage, but I would like briefly to highlight the main changes we will be proposing.