Page 621 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 February 2010
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again today an opposition that run totally negative campaigns and claim to be a group of little innocents, hand on heart, “We’re not guilty, your honour,” knowing full well what damage this negative debate would eventually cause. They claim they are blameless.
Mr Hanson says that he is not to blame. Yet strangely, following that statement, he came up with a comment that he would have worn such a responsibility like a medal of honour. I need to check the Hansard but it certainly left me with that impression.
Mr Hanson: No, that was the impression.
MS PORTER: Well, there you go. So he would like to be blamed for the negotiations falling over. The fact remains that people are quite often affected by, or influenced by, the political debate that goes on inside or outside this place. The sisters are—I am sure they have been—very conscious of the negative oppositional campaign run by Mr Hanson. So for those opposite to say they are blameless is laughable. I am not sure what ideological pursuit Mr Hanson thinks we are on about. This is not about ideology; this is about the delivery of health care—the delivery of health care in the north of Canberra, in this instance.
I found Mr Smyth’s remarks about the advice the minister has received offensive. What are you saying, Mr Smyth, about the people who have provided this advice? However, what is most offensive—and the Chief Minister addressed this matter before lunch—is Mrs Dunne’s shocking accusation about the Canberra Hospital and its staff. Mrs Dunne’s particular use of the word “toxic” is offensive and unfortunate in describing the staff of the hospital. That description of staff of any hospital, let alone that one, the one that the Chief Minister and the Minister for Health have often said delivers one of the best health services in Australia, is outrageous. Mr Hanson was at pains to point out that he thought Mrs Dunne’s comments were not offensive. I think they were offensive, Mr Hanson.
Those sitting opposite have obviously lost all hope of being in government. If they held even the remotest hope of governing the ACT, they would be more prudent in their comments about public servants. This week, it feels as though they have declared open season on bureaucrats of high standing and those who work in our hospitals. As a person who was once a registered nurse and midwife, I take great exception that someone can come into this place and use their privileged position to undermine each and every staff member of the Canberra Hospital. This is stomach-turning. Who will be next?
Of course, Mrs Dunne has got to preach to me about how to represent the people of Ginninderra. That is a bit rich. That is all I can say about that. Mrs Dunne, if the best you can do in this place for the people of the ACT is undermine the staff at Canberra Hospital and indicate that you consider one public hospital is better than another, and to deride my efforts on behalf of the people of Ginninderra, you deserve to be pitied. Maybe you are trying to prove yourself in the rabble of the boys club opposite.
I thank Ms Bresnan for her remarks and note her willingness to work with the government to find a resolution. I would reiterate that the Little Company of Mary
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