Page 2445 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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in his lifetime. The original estimate when we first looked at this project was $120 million. Four years later it is $363 million. The most basic elements of any costing project were left out of the early estimates. It is believed to have negative economic benefit. This Chief Minister received all the minutes, but claims to know nothing about the cost blow-outs. That is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
Again, with the Murrumbidgee to Googong pipeline, the original estimate was $35 million to $45 million. Four year later it has risen to $150 million. The same basic costing elements were left out of the early estimates. That is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
We have had no waste by 2010—it was embraced by previous governments but has been abandoned by this government. Eventually, despite paying lip-service, they entirely abandoned the target in 2008. That is an example of competence and leadership by this government.
We have childcare standards. New standards will be imposed by this government and the commonwealth together. These new standards will add to the costs of running childcare centres. These costs will inevitably be passed on to the people of Canberra. The government of course washes its hands of all these things, saying it is not responsible for cost. Eventually there has been some recognition that some cost pressures have been caused by this government, and the government this year has announced some inconsistent assistance to childcare services operating from government-owned childcare centres, while not providing any assistance for other childcare centres, even community-based childcare centres.
ACT families pay $60 per week more per child on average than anywhere else in the country for childcare, and those costs will continue to rise. When I visit childcare centres, that is the simple message I get. On top of that, we are finding childcare centres across this territory really afraid about their capacity to find staff to meet the requirements of the new framework. This is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
In the health system, we have seen the Calvary hospital debacle which was touched on today by Mr Hanson, including secret deals. There have been allegations of bullying. There are long queues for elective surgery and there are long queues in the emergency department. Obstetricians and gynaecologists have walked out of the hospital. Minister Gallagher called the complaints of obstetricians and gynaecologists mudslinging. Visiting medical officers expressed no confidence in the health minister. A motion in the Assembly called on the minister to be more honest. There has been evidence of downgrading elective surgery with no documented clinical reason. We have the lowest level of bulk-billing in the country, and a chronic shortage of GPs. Of course the government claims that it has no control over the number of GPs, notwithstanding it has spent $12 million to recruit them. This is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
In addition to all the other woes at the hospital, we have had the failed hospital pay parking abandoned, and years of disruption while we built a new multistorey car
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