Page 1094 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I am sorry; I am not going to jump to Mr Berry's timetable. A consistent theme of those opposite in the last few days, incidentally, has been that this Government is taking too long about things; that it will not make a decision; and that it will not get to the point of making any of the decisions that it is in the process of making now. They ask why we will not hurry up these processes and so on. They are fully aware of the fact that the process of good government requires careful consideration of all the ramifications of these sorts of issues. I, for one, as Minister for Health, will not make a decision before I am satisfied that it is the right decision to make and that it has an effect fairly and equitably across the system. I will get Mr Berry an answer on that matter at the first available opportunity.
Hospital Redevelopment
MS MAHER: My question is directed to the Minister for Health. Is the Minister aware that the Opposition's health spokesman, Mr Berry, criticised the Government's plan to redevelop the ACT hospital system on ABC radio this morning? If so, did Mr Berry give an accurate picture of the redevelopment project?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Ms Maher for that very good question. I did hear at least part of the interview and, as usual, Mr Berry has distorted the facts in that regard. The interview on Julie Derrett's program arose from an article that appeared in the Canberra Times this morning, claiming that some senior health administrators believe that the hospital redevelopment is ignoring the needs of hospitals in favour of "random action" to meet budgets. "Random action" is the term that was used. Of course, this is simply not the case. As I was quoted in this morning's paper:
Everybody in the redevelopment process, particularly those who have been working on those working parties, have all put in claims which in many cases are vastly above what the total redevelopment can afford.
As I have repeated many times in this place, the total cost of the hospital redevelopment will remain at $166.32m in June 1990 prices, and not one cent more. Obviously, we, as the Government, are able to deliver on our promise that we will provide a better, more modern and comprehensive hospital system. As I said this morning, the assertions about problems with that process are mischievous and without foundation; and we remain without any evidence at all that there are any problems in that process.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .