Page 4316 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 22 September 2010

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MR SPEAKER: Before you start, let me be clear that this is not a space for debate. If you wish to clarify the record, you may but you are not to debate the matter.

MS BURCH: I will take your advice at the start. I am quite happy to clarify it. In Mrs Dunne’s media release, which we were contacted by 2CC about, Mrs Dunne made a number of comments. One of them was that I had admitted that the facility is seriously understaffed. At no point did I actually make that statement and I ask Mrs Dunne to provide evidence that I have.

She also made the statement that the Canberra Liberals have been pursuing these matters with the minister but “despite assurances our questions remain unanswered”. Again, I ask her to provide any question that I have not answered in the media or in this chamber or any brief that she has tried to get. She has not sought a brief or any information other than what has been asked about Bimberi in this chamber and I have responded. So in fact, her comments indeed should be challenged.

Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, that was a debate. That was a debate of the subject.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, let us move on.

Supplementary answers to questions without notice

Health—mental health crisis assessment and treatment team

MS GALLAGHER: I do not seek leave to make a statement under standing order 46; if I was given the time I think I could come back with quite a list and work through them one by one, but that would be a waste of the Assembly’s time.

I have two matters relating to question time yesterday which I took on notice. One was from Ms Bresnan around the recommendations of an internal review into the crisis assessment and treatment team. The answer I gave yesterday was correct. I am happy to table the recommendations of that internal review, with the description of the issues identified and the recommendation. I will just leave that there for when we can table those.

There was a recommendation made which is currently being considered by the department, but no decision has been made. One of the issues was around expectations of the service and that there was sometimes confusion around the role of the CATT service and the belief that it was an emergency service that responds to situations immediately, like the ambulance or police may do. It was really a recommendation about clarifying the role of the crisis and assessment team. It was not around changing the nature of the service that it provides. As I said, it is still being discussed. There were a number of other recommendations which you can have a look at. I can provide more advice should you wish.

Canberra Hospital—neurosurgery suite

MS GALLAGHER: The other question I had was around whether any of the neurosurgeons had indicated that the new imagery machine within the neurosurgery


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