Page 1517 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 May 1990
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Debate (on motion by Mr Kaine) adjourned.
Sitting suspended from 12.30 to 2.30 pm
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Royal Canberra Hospital
MS FOLLETT: My question is directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts. Mr Humphries has announced the closure of the Royal Canberra Hospital. Would he tell the Assembly his timetable for the closure of the hospital and what arrangements his department has planned to effect the closure?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the simple answer to the question from the Leader of the Opposition is that I cannot inform her of the date on which the hospital will finally close or that on which the particular activities presently conducted at the hospital will be removed from it. The Government has made the decision to proceed with the closure of the hospital and the option of upgrading the Woden Valley Hospital to a principal hospital. That requires some careful planning, and a very carefully adopted timetable has to be pursued. I cannot come in here, only a matter of weeks after announcing that we are going down that path, and tell Ms Follett all the particulars of what will happen with that. I am sure that, if I had asked Mr Berry a similar period after he announced his plans, he would have been unable to provide details.
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker; he should stick to the question that was asked.
MR HUMPHRIES: I will stick to the question, Mr Berry, if it embarrasses you.
MR SPEAKER: Order! That was not a valid point of order. Please proceed, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: The reality is that it is simply not practicable for me to come in this place and tell you all the details of what will happen, but I can assure the Opposition that as soon as that information is available it will be transmitted.
MS FOLLETT: I wish to ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Would Mr Humphries refute our information that the hospital will be closed within a year and that the closure will be commencing in November.
MR HUMPHRIES: Again, I am alarmed by the sorts of rumours which might not have started with the Opposition but which have certainly been given a very thorough kick along by its members. I find it most unlikely that the hospital would
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