Page 3958 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 15 Sept 2009
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Mr Stanhope: Mr Smyth made the promise.
MS GALLAGHER: And Mr Smyth as well. The two of them would have been out there building a dam in a place where it never rains, and costing the community $600 million. That is the Liberal option, and it is not an option that has been accepted by this government.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question?
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, will you now guarantee that the cost of the Cotter Dam enlargement project will not exceed $363 million?
MS GALLAGHER: That is the advice that has been given to the government and that is the advice we are operating on.
Hospitals—Calvary Public Hospital
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Health, and is in relation to the proposed purchase of Calvary hospital and the sale of Clare Holland House. Minister, can you update the Assembly about the status of negotiations that would see the government purchase Calvary hospital? Can you assure the Assembly that the government will meet the terms of the resolution of the Assembly of 17 June 2009 in relation to the purchase of Calvary hospital, which calls on the government to conduct a health consumer survey and implement recommendations 53 to 55 of the estimates report?
MS GALLAGHER: I have to confess I have not memorised recommendations 53 and 54 of the estimates report, but I do recall that I think we accepted those recommendations at the time. So, yes, we will abide by recommendations 53 and 54.
Mr Hanson: And 55?
MS GALLAGHER: Whatever, 54 and 55. The negotiations and valuation have, I guess, reached a point now where a submission will be going to cabinet by the end of this month. Following that consideration, the government will go out for a consultation period with the community, an extensive consultation period, prior to any matter coming before this Assembly.
As members will be aware, the Assembly has called for certain things to be done, which we will abide by. Of course, the final consideration if this sale is to go ahead is that it will be subject to a matter of an appropriation bill. None of those decisions have been taken. The government has not made any final decisions around this, but negotiations are reaching those final stages now.
I have been talking with Little Company of Mary about a way forward in terms of engaging with the community and putting all the details on the table so that we can have that open discussion.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, a supplementary question?
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