Page 866 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 16 March 2010
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cent of all our work is from New South Wales, 53 per cent of all the work done every day is unplanned admissions to the hospital, and we still deliver almost 10,000 procedures a year. We have every theatre operating at its maximum capacity at this point in time; we have extended hours of operation; we have opened more theatres; we have employed more staff; we have built new intensive care units; we have created critical care capacity—all to improve the efficiency of our elective surgery program. And we have been doing that in the context of more admissions on the list than ever before.
That is just by way of a bit of a reality check here that everything that can be done is being done. But, again, that will still mean that, for those with less urgent conditions, particularly in areas where there are not a number of surgeons performing that work, in the private sector or indeed in the public sector, there will be times when they have to wait for access to their surgery. I know people in the surgical bookings area at Canberra Hospital, and indeed at Calvary, work tirelessly to ensure that that system works as efficiently as possible and that people get access to surgery based on their clinical need. I think the constant criticism of it by the opposition is wearing people down—not me, not people in the department, but people in the hospital, who feel that their efforts go unnoticed by you. (Time expired.)
Planning—Latham
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is for the Minister for Planning and relates to a development proposal in Latham, on the old petrol station site. Minister, this DA was notified last year without including information on the redevelopment proposal. Following an ACAT appeal, the ACAT presidential member recommended that ACTPLA publicly renotify the DA. What is the government’s response to this recommendation?
MR BARR: I thank Ms Le Couteur for the question. Of course ACTPLA will respond to the recommendation from ACAT. There are established practices and precedents in relation to ACAT or previous bodies’ decisions in relation to planning matters and the Planning and Land Authority will respond accordingly.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur, a supplementary?
MS LE COUTEUR: Will you direct ACTPLA to properly renotify the DA?
MR BARR: I do not believe it is a matter that requires ministerial direction.
MS BRESNAN: A supplementary?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, is it justifiable that DAs are approved when they have not been fully and correctly notified, as per usual requirements of the Planning and Development Act?
MR BARR: I would expect the Planning and Land Authority to operate within the Planning and Development Act.
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