Page 2787 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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MS LEE: Minister, will you take on notice how many code yellow incidents have occurred at the Canberra Hospital during the winter of 2016 and during the winter of 2017?
MS FITZHARRIS: Yes, I will.
MR COE: Minister, has the worse than expected flu season and the excess demand which has been put on the Canberra Hospital emergency department led to doctors having to work increased hours over the past few months?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Coe for the supplementary question. Not to my knowledge, but I will confirm that and take the question on notice. But I welcome Mr Coe’s recognition that a busy flu season does have an impact on the hospital, unlike Mrs Jones’s comments in the Assembly yesterday that seemed to indicate that it was not of relevance that we have a very strong public health program to assist us in managing hospital presentations and the hospital during this period.
Transport—light rail stage 1
MS CHEYNE: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Can the minister update the Assembly on the progress of stage 1 of the city-wide light rail?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Ms Cheyne very much for her question and am delighted to update the Assembly on the significant progress on stage 1 of our city-wide light rail network. Three weeks ago I toured the stage 1 route and the light rail depot with a range of local media.
Construction on the light rail corridor is progressing very well, with the project milestones on track. Among these activities are road widening, which is continuing along the corridor, with commuters to and from Gungahlin using alternative routes during necessary road closures. We have seen terrific progress at the Mitchell depot: both the maintenance building and the administration building are now taking shape, and preparations are well underway in readiness for installing rail tracks within the depot later this year.
Along the Federal Highway crews are continuing the relocation of the major gas mains from the median. We anticipate that these works will continue through till late August. Intersection closures are taking place along Northbourne Avenue so that crews can complete utility relocations and install reinforced concrete track slab across these major intersections.
In Gungahlin barriers and hoardings are in place to protect the public and workers on Hibberson Street. Canberra Metro crews are installing stormwater drains in conjunction with early works for the new Gungahlin bus station. These projects are working collaboratively to minimise local disruption and keeping in close contact with local traders.
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