Page 1018 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
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MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, I can indicate whether that will be the case. This is not a ministerial statement, but it is a matter of some concern which arises from the debate previously on this very important subject. It goes without saying that the public hospitals will always be the major part of the ACT's hospital system because they provide high level services in our system and are always ready to meet the needs of those not wishing to or not being able to access the private hospitals. However, the ACT has proportionately fewer private hospital beds than other States and Territories. As private hospital beds are provided at no cost to the Territory budget, this imbalance costs us money we cannot afford.
Through this redevelopment proposal, the Government will achieve a sensible mix of private and public hospital beds through a small expansion of private hospital beds from 271 to 300. These 300 beds will be a useful complement to the 1,000 public hospital beds - up from 900 hospital beds at present - that the Government plans to provide by the year 2000. Mathematicians opposite - and there may be some - will realise that that increase is in the order of 10 per cent in both cases, hardly a major disparity between the two systems I would have thought. The Opposition spokesman on health might win votes at the TLC by bringing up a story on privatising health care. I am simply trying - - -
Ms Follett: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, under standing order 118, Mr Humphries is quite clearly debating the issue.
MR SPEAKER: I believe that objection is overruled. Please proceed, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have almost completed my answer. I say simply that we intend to get on with the job of providing the best mix for the people of Canberra. If they want more private health facilities, we will provide those facilities. If they want more public health facilities, we will provide them.
Hospitals - Nurses' Dispute
MS FOLLETT: I am very interested in Mr Humphries' approach to the figures. He mentioned in particular some significant savings and I would like to test him out on one of them. Mr Humphries, what were the savings, including activity-related savings, for the ACT hospital system, which arose from the recent nurses' disputes over working conditions?
MR HUMPHRIES: That is a rather foolish question, if I may say so because, in effect, the outcome of the dispute is not yet known. As Ms Follett would be aware if she had bothered to listen to previous statements I have made in the house, that industrial action, which occurred in
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