Page 2585 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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Mr Humphries: Whom are you attacking here - the Government or the Opposition? Both?
MR MOORE: Exactly.
Mr Humphries: It is about his performance as Health Minister.
Mrs Grassby: He sits on the crossbenches.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Members, I think it is appropriate for Mr Moore to be allowed to speak without continual interruptions. I ask you to show him that courtesy.
MR MOORE: I do not wish to be so hasty as to condemn the Liberal Party, but I do want to say that there are signs that the health system is approaching a crisis point. Not only do we want answers to questions about the current state of affairs but we also want answers to questions as to what we should do about it.
The Liberals may find fault with the Minister and offer their own solutions to the current problems of the health system or demand the solutions from the Minister himself. That is fine. I want the Government to come up with answers to those questions that the Liberals have presented; to give the Assembly positive signs that urgent consideration is being given to the matter and that it intends to propose solutions to avert the crisis. If the Government cannot do that, and do it quickly, then we should seriously consider condemning the performance of this Minister.
The Liberal Party has no right at this stage to be saying, "We want answers to questions, but regardless of what the answers are we intend to condemn the Minister now".
Mr Humphries: No, we are not.
MR MOORE: That is definitely the implication of the way in which I read the words "disastrous handling of the hospital crisis". The Liberals have asked the questions and they should be waiting for the answers - and that does not mean a ridiculously long wait either. I am quite happy about that.
Mr Humphries: You are getting the Minister off the hook, Michael.
MR MOORE: Now, I am not. I am about to get to that. The issue I am most concerned about is the Minister's mishandling of the public debate on the fate of the interim board. Minister Berry should not have fuelled speculation that undermines public confidence in the interim board and undercuts its ability to act upon and implement its decisions and those of the Government. Obviously, Mr Berry is not happy with the way the interim board is functioning.
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