Page 1029 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
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States in the areas of stamp duty and land tax it would have another $17m to maintain services. It will not even look at that. There has been no mention of its even considering that in the future not only as a means to provide better health services but also to look at education. Instead, the people of Canberra are expected to suffer so that these people opposite can keep their big business mates happy.
The Labor redevelopment plan had gained wide acceptance. It was even accepted by Mr Duby and Ms Maher, all the members of the Residents Rally, Mr Moore and so on. The Liberals were the only ones who were sceptical about it and that was clearly understood to be from their philosophical position which I spoke about earlier today.
The standards of the health system will fall. The morale of the staff, affected by the instability and industrial relations chaos under Mr Humphries, will, of course, suffer. Is this a simple, callous way of winding up certain conditions of employment at Royal Canberra Hospital?
Mr Humphries: No.
MR BERRY: Well, it is starting to look that way. The community will suffer. Members should remember that the Residents Rally and the No Self Government Party supported the Royal Canberra Hospital, which I mentioned just a moment ago. It is a great pity that Dr Hector Kinloch is not here - I bet he is wringing his hands at the moment - because I remember standing up at public meetings with Dr Kinloch at which he not only strenuously supported the retention of Royal Canberra Hospital but also advocated that it have an expanded role. How will he now face those hundreds of people who heard him make those sorts of announcements? I will tell you what he will be doing: he will be looking at his boots because he will be ashamed to face those people. A few other members opposite will be ashamed to face them as well. That was in line with the Residents Rally policy, but we know that there is quite a flexible approach to interpreting Rally policies these days.
The funding concerns are fictitious, the redevelopment is a long-term issue and the Government will have to give priority to the health system. It has not got $154m now, so how can it possibly complain about the proposal that was put by Labor? It has not got the money now. Labor's plan was about a commitment to keep Royal Canberra Hospital in an accessible public health system. The present state of affairs began with the Chief Minister talking down Royal Canberra when he was in opposition and raising community concern over its future.
The affection of the community for the Royal Canberra Hospital was made evident during the period in which the Labor Government consulted with the community. Thousands
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