Page 180 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 23 February 1994
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John James Hospital
MR CORNWELL: Madam Speaker, my question is addressed to the Minister for Health, Mr Berry. After the stirring defence of the public hospital system, for which I commend him, I ask whether he is also aware that approval was given for a new obstetrics wing at John James Hospital by my colleague Mr Humphries, who was the then Health Minister, in 1990.
Mr Berry: Who will ever forget it?
MR CORNWELL: I am pleased to hear that you have not. Does the Minister believe that it is acceptable conduct for one government to renege on a contractual agreement entered into by a previous government? Does the Minister realise that this broken promise could put the ACT Government, and therefore the ACT ratepayers, in an invidious legal position; not to mention placing himself in a somewhat blatantly contradictory situation if, in fact, he is a member of a private health fund?
MR BERRY: You can back it in that the first port of call if I were to become ill would be the public hospital system because - - -
Mr Humphries: It was not last time, was it? What has happened since then?
Mr Kaine: Was it not Calvary?
MR BERRY: They say, "It was not last time". It was, old son, the public hospital system. Never let yourself forget that.
Members interjected.
MR BERRY: We should have a little period for interjections. I will sit down for a moment and let them have their interjections, and then I will get up and answer their question. You have your little period of interjections. Is everybody quiet?
Mr Humphries: Come on, Wayne; you can answer the question.
Mr De Domenico: Please.
MR BERRY: You never shut up. You really never do, do you? You behave like a bunch of kids.
Mr Wood: It is worse today than it has been for a while.
Mr Moore: Use Bill's teacher voice.
MR BERRY: Teacher voices take a lot of practice, Mr Moore, as you know, and you are better at it than I would ever be. Bill, my colleague Minister Wood, is extremely good at it. There are lessons that have to be learnt by this lot and I will do my best.
In relation to the obstetric beds which were applied for by the John James Hospital, they were refused in 1989 when Labor was in office and then agreed to by the Liberal Health Minister, Mr Humphries. I was advised in 1989 not to approve it on - - -
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