Page 2570 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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MR HUMPHRIES: No, Minister, I will not, and I will explain why. Mr Speaker, six months of self-government have now elapsed. Last Saturday was the anniversary, and we are entitled to ask ourselves what improvements have been effected by this Government in the health system in that time; in particular, what improvements have occurred in our hospital system. The fact is, Mr Speaker, that it has not got better; it has got worse. We are deeper in crisis than ever.
The Minister's reaction to these sorts of problems has been predictable. It has been, first of all, to deny that there is any crisis; secondly, to counter-accuse people who have attacked the health system and described properly - - -
Mr Berry: Like Gary Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Not just Gary Humphries, Minister; many people have done it, if you would care to be reminded. As I was saying, he has attacked the people who have made reference to these points, people who have been "disloyal" to the hospital system. Thirdly, he has, quietly, on the side, acted on the complaints. I think that the ambulance crisis of a few months ago was a good example. In this house and in press releases I raised the problem of the ambulance system, saying it was seriously under strength. Mr Berry reacted by saying that my attacks were "untimely and inaccurate", although in questions in this place he was unable to say in any way how those statements were either untimely or inaccurate.
A few days later the secretary of the Transport Workers Union, David Lamont, confirmed that the ambulance service was understaffed. He said that he had twice spoken to the Health Minister about staffing concerns raised by ambulance officers. Mr Lamont said that the Health Minister had, on two occasions, directed the ACT Health Authority as a matter of urgency to instigate discussions with the TWU to arrange a solution. He said that the authority, in turn, had ignored that directive. Here we have the pattern: deny that anything is wrong, attack the accuser, and then act on it in a sort of fashion. Mr Speaker, that is just one example of how our so-called first-class system is in trouble.
I want to quote now from a body which is, perhaps, best able to comment on this matter and which most accurately reflects the position of our hospitals at the moment, the interim board of directors of those hospitals - Royal Canberra and Woden Valley. There was reference yesterday to a letter from which I want to quote.
Mr Berry: It fell off the back of a truck somewhere for you, too?
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, Minister, off the back of a truck. I quote the acting chairman of the board, writing to the Minister on 27 October this year.
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