Page 1704 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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This record investment will see the Calvary Public Hospital benefit from 15 additional inpatient beds, which is part of the four-year program to deliver an additional 54 acute beds, a continuation of birthing services, an expansion of lymphoedema, endoscopy and ophthalmology services, better emergency department services and $19.1 million for the Calvary Public Hospital car park.
Our other health services in my electorate will benefit from this record investment, including the University of Canberra public hospital, more services and more staff at the Belconnen Community Health Centre and nurse-led walk-in centre and an expansion of community nursing.
Madam Speaker, this is a true Labor budget, one that supports the less fortunate, one that creates opportunities even in difficult circumstances, one that supports job growth, one that supports Canberra. As I said earlier, this ACT Labor government has a commitment to Canberra and has achieved much success in ensuring that Canberra continues to be a diverse and vibrant place to live, work, visit and recreate. We will continue to do whatever we can to support the workers and families of the ACT. I urge everyone in this place to support this motion.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo—Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Housing, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and Minister for Ageing) (10.43): I thank Dr Bourke for introducing this motion today to give us an opportunity to focus on some of the measures in the ACT budget, a budget that I think is quite appropriate for the circumstances we find ourselves in. I am very happy to support the ACT budget and I will be making some more detailed comments about my views in the budget in-principle debate tomorrow, but today I am supporting this motion. I will propose amendments to recognise some aspects of the budget that are particularly important to the ACT Greens and to me personally as well as to me as a minister, and accordingly I seek leave to move the amendments circulated in my name together.
Leave granted.
MR RATTENBURY: I move the amendments circulated in my name together:
(1) Insert new paragraphs (1)(h) and (i):
“(h) the ACT Budget maintains support for vulnerable groups in our community; and
(i) the ACT Budget provides for important measures to protect the environment”.
(2) Insert new paragraphs (2)(d) and (e):
“(d) maintain support for vulnerable groups in our community; and
(e) recognise the importance of the protection of the environment in developing the ACT Budget.”.
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