Page 2357 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 2 August 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. We need to continue to improve women’s understanding of health issues, and heart disease is just one example of this. I also note the opposition’s failure today to accept that they need to have any policy on women’s sexual and reproductive health.
MR PETTERSSON: Can the minister update the Assembly on progress on budget initiatives that will support women’s health care in the ACT?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Pettersson for his supplementary. I am very pleased that through this budget the ACT government has invested $70 million to expand the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, to become an even greater centre of excellence in women’s, youth and children’s health care. This expansion will respond to the significant growth in our community and in demand experienced recently, as well as future demand over the next 10 years for women’s and children’s health services.
The expansion will be both to the physical asset as well as through increased service delivery capacities. We will provide additional maternity beds and, importantly, additional staff to care for women during their pregnancy, birth and, importantly, into the post-natal period. Over the next four years detailed planning and design of the expansion will be undertaken by ACT Health, as well as commencing construction to deliver these new services in the Centenary hospital.
Since becoming the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, I have been approached by many young women and their families about the significant burden of having to access adolescent gynaecology services outside Canberra. So we will be expanding services at the Centenary hospital to provide dedicated adolescent gynaecology services. I have also had many discussions in the community about depression and anxiety in young women and I know that Minister Rattenbury and I together will be very keen to see the expanded adolescent mental health services at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, including a dedicated inpatient ward.
Canberra Hospital—risk assessment report
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, on ABC Radio this morning you said that you saw the AECOM report “a couple of months ago”. In the Chief Minister’s claim of executive privilege over this document and other documents he indicated that cabinet had made decisions informed in part by the AECOM report in April 2016. He claimed that these documents were prepared for cabinet. You were a member of cabinet at that time. Minister, when exactly did you see the AECOM report for the first time?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mrs Dunne for the question and the opportunity to clarify and comment on remarks she made in the Assembly prior to the lunch break. It is certainly my recollection of the interview this morning that I was asked as minister, “When did you first see the AECOM report?” I responded on ABC Radio this morning that I saw it just a couple of months ago.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video