Page 1844 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 June 2022
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I will say that I am encouraged by all that we hear from Minister Stephen-Smith and Mr Peffer that this is being worked on. As much as there are problems that need fixing within our health system, I must say that it is a great hospital. We have a great healthcare system. I would be remiss if, at this point, I did not share with the house that in the last week I have spent more than 120 hours at the Canberra Hospital. I have been in the Canberra Hospital with a family member who is currently receiving care, and who is at pains to stress to every single nurse, doctor and staff member that he comes into contact with that his son is an MLA! I wonder whether that is reflected in the high quality of care that he is receiving!
I absolutely must stress at this point—not to excuse the very important issues that Ms Castley raises, not to dismiss the incredibly important points for which our strong union comrades continue to advocate, for their workers—that our hospital is a great hospital. Our nurses, midwives and doctors are great nurses, midwives and doctors. As someone currently living with a close family member who is receiving care at the Canberra Hospital, I could not think of anywhere in the world that I would rather have them getting care.
I wish the ANMF the best of luck in their negotiations for the upcoming enterprise bargaining, a process that in 2018 led to the important structural reforms that we are talking about today. It is no secret that I am a strong supporter of the union, the ANMF. There is indeed strength in the union, and it is the union that makes us strong. The Greens are big fans of unions, and it should be stressed we are big fans of transparency.
There was a great example of this recently, when Minister Davidson worked with the union to bring oversight of and an inquiry into the Dhulwa mental health facility. We are always happy to work collaboratively with our union comrades to make sure there is transparency and oversight of government decisions, and of every red cent of taxpayer dollars invested into government service provision.
It is really important that we listen to our workers, that we listen to their unions, that we support our nurses and midwives and that we give them what they need to take great care of Canberrans. We would love to see ratios expanded everywhere, including to the cancer outpatient services, which I understand are not currently covered by ratios.
It is important that the data that we are collecting and sharing is accurate and transparent. This goes to some of the IT upgrades that Minister Stephen-Smith remarked on in her speech. I will be very keenly watching the implementation of those things to make sure that we are getting efficiency when we are monitoring our ratios. I recognise that this is an ongoing area of challenge for the government, and we are supportive of efforts to increase transparency and improve those systems. It is why we are pleased to support the amendment today.
Let me underline the fact one more time, at the risk of repeating myself. We will continue, no doubt, to see more motions from the Canberra Liberals, and indeed Ms Castley, in her role as the shadow minister, on issues in Canberra Health Services
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