Page 2019 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 5 June 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Minister opposite has some very important and positive messages in it. You refuse to accept that. While you refuse to accept the very important and positive messages which are contained in this letter it is a demonstration that you are not fit to negotiate at the Premiers Conference for funds for the ACT. You are not fit to negotiate. You have ripped the guts out of this place by your behaviour. The people of Canberra are a wake-up to you. They have had enough of you.
This letter clearly says "whether the ACT could continue to require special revenue assistance after its inclusion in the general revenue grants pool would need to be assessed at that time" - referring to the Grants Commission. It also says that the aim of the review by the Grants Commission is to determine the level of overfunding for the ACT and to provide the two governments with the information necessary to determine those transitional arrangements. Mr Kaine has not said anything about that. Mr Kaine has misrepresented the facts again, in the same way as he has misrepresented the facts when he keeps homing in on the so-called $100m debt. He has not even done the figures.
All we have to do is look at this Government's attack on the health system. A strong, viable public health system is an integral part of the fabric of this society. It is important, as is a strong education system - and the fact that this Government is ripping the guts out of that is one of the reasons why the Canberra community has no confidence in this Government.
Mr Kaine: I challenge you to read the paragraph where it says that 30 June next year is the deadline.
MR BERRY: It has already been tabled. You do not have to worry about it. The Minister for Health announces the closure of Royal Canberra Hospital and at the same time announces the establishment of a new 150-bed private hospital on the north side of the lake. He announced the give-away of 25 obstetric beds to the private sector, and he is ripping the guts out of the public health system.
Mr Humphries then starts to implement his plan by stealth. In Royal Canberra Hospital, a hospital which is supposed to have 443 beds, we find from the Australian Medical Association that there are only 277 open. The Minister claims that only 60 beds are closed, but then we find out that the Government view on how many beds are open is 310. Never let the facts get in the way, Mr Kaine. The figures just do not add up. For this Government the figures never add up. One of the things that does compute when we discuss this Government is the contempt this Government holds for public services.
We are faced right now with the spectre of patients and their medical practitioners being turned away from our public hospitals. The beds are full; they cannot fit another one in. Mr Speaker, this Government will very soon
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .