Page 5660 - Week 17 - Thursday, 5 December 1991

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MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I fail to see how this comes within my portfolio responsibilities. I would have thought that the conveying of a motion from this Assembly would have been as much a matter for you as it is for me, Mr Speaker. Are you going to brief them? Perhaps you would like to answer it?

MR STEVENSON: Could I ask a supplementary of the Speaker, please?

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, I have forwarded a letter - the Clerk can confirm that - on behalf of the Assembly as requested. The letter has been forwarded; but, as for briefing the senators, I do not believe that that is a responsibility that can be tied to anyone in particular. Maybe you would like to do it.

City Health Centre

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Health. I refer the Minister to an answer to a question he gave yesterday in which he indicated that a particular doctor had been refused the right to rent space in the City Health Centre because no space was available. Can the Minister confirm that, as of November, which is when the doctor sought space, the immunisation room in the City Health Centre was empty for eight half-days a week, the speech therapist's room was empty for four half-days a week, the second doctor's room was empty for five half-days a week and the Women's Health Service also had space available on four half-days a week? I ask the Minister: Why is it not possible to reorganise all that available empty space in the centre to make room for one more doctor, particularly given that the demands being placed on the City Health Centre for GP services are not being met at the present time? If that is not possible, why is it not possible to have a share arrangement instituted with one or other of those services presently in the City Health Centre?

MR BERRY: I think Mr Humphries is a very impatient young man. Yesterday he asked me a question which I said I would take on notice. I said that I thought there was not any space there but that I would check into it and get back to him. Really, there is no obligation on me to get back to him today; but, being my usual agreeable self, I have made a special effort.

Mr Collaery: Table it.

MR BERRY: I am not going to table this. I am going to deal with this question, because it is one that Mr Humphries obviously wants to have answered. I heard all those suggestions that some rooms did not have a person in them. They would not be empty; they would have other things in them. They would not have a person in them for particular times over a given period.


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