Page 2534 - Week 08 - Thursday, 30 June 2005

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Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.

Sitting suspended from 12.30 to 2.30 pm.

Questions without notice

Hospital waiting lists

MR SMYTH: My question is directed to the Minister for Health. As the minister should be aware, a report entitled The state of our public hospitals has shown that the ACT has the highest median waiting time for both elective surgery and for emergency department treatment, despite the fact that our hospital system has the third highest public hospital recurrent costs under this government. I also note that the release of the May elective surgery waiting list has not occurred. How many people were on the elective surgery waiting list as at the end of May?

MR CORBELL: I do not have those figures to hand. I will take the question on notice and provide the answer to Mr Smyth as soon as possible.

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Seeing as you are taking things on notice, how many people were overdue for elective surgery as at the end of May?

MR CORBELL: I will take the question on notice.

Health funding

MS MacDONALD: My question is to the Minister for Health, Mr Corbell. It relates to The state of our public hospitals report. Minister, following the release of The state of our public hospitals report on Wednesday, would you please outline to the Assembly the government’s priority in increased spending to address pressures in the health system and how this contrasts with other policy approaches?

Mrs Dunne: Point of order, Mr Speaker, on the question. Is Ms MacDonald asking the minister to announce anything new, because that would be out of order?

MS MacDONALD: Would you like me to read the question again, Mr Speaker?

MR SPEAKER: Yes. Please read the question again.

MS MacDONALD: The question is not asking the minister to announce something new.

MR SPEAKER: You can announce new things, but you cannot announce new policy.

MS MacDONALD: It reads: Would you please outline to the Assembly the government’s priority in increased spending to address pressures in the health system and how this contrasts with other policy approaches?

MR SPEAKER: That seems reasonable.


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