Page 1361 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Looking at biodiversity and the natural amenity of the ACT is another area that very much depends on good cross-border relations to ensure that the full range of impacts of proposals or actions are considered and can be constructively addressed by both jurisdictions to ensure the best outcome. I should say that there are quite a number of very interesting submissions on the committee’s website in regard to the ecological carrying capacity inquiry and I would highly recommend anyone interested in the broader ecological impacts and issues that confront the ACT and region to have a good look at these submissions.
We are part of the region, and our relationship with the region, both at the state government level and the regional councils that surround us, must foster a productive exchange of ideas on all the issues I have outlined as well as many others facing the community. It is in the interests of both governments, ACT and New South Wales, to put aside any differences and engage productively to provide the best outcomes for residents on both sides of the border.
I do note, in Mr Stanhope’s speech, he did speak about the ACT-New South Wales regional management framework and the Regional Leaders Forum. I do believe that these are both important. One is a forum for discussing between mayors and councils and the ACT government issues that they are going to have to grapple with—coordination of building infrastructure and so forth. Hopefully this regional management framework is a good way to get some good planning right across the region.
I would, just on a final note, note and congratulate the Greens candidate in New South Wales, Jamie Parker, for his success at the weekend. (Time expired.)
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (3.59): I will just rise to talk about the very important cross-border arrangements that exist in the area of health because in terms of the practical impact of the cross-border relationship it is probably one of the most important areas where our governments work together.
We have extensive cross-border arrangements which are covered by agreement and negotiated under the Australian healthcare agreement. It was always envisaged that once the national health reforms were implemented there may be a requirement to look at the cross-border arrangements and payment arrangements as part of that, and I think that will have to be done in the lead-up to the commonwealth taking on a greater share of funding of hospital patients.
About 25 per cent of ACT public hospital activity emanates from New South Wales, the majority of this being residents of Queanbeyan but also of surrounding south-east New South Wales and west into areas like Wagga. These interstate and inter-regional patients are on average less well and stay in our hospitals longer, which is the reason why they have been referred to the tertiary hospital in their region. This does create some major cost impacts on ACT Health’s budget and also on the ACT government in dealing with the recovery of some of the costs of providing those services.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video