Page 4162 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
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MS FOLLETT: I withdraw that, Mr Speaker. A cheque, as reported.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you. It is hardly enlightening the debate. Please proceed.
MS FOLLETT: As I stated - - -
Mr Jensen: Once again, Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, relevance, please.
MS FOLLETT: This whole debate is a desperate diversionary tactic by a Government in total disarray. Now, let us have a look at what Mr Berry has done this week. Mr Berry quite properly has drawn to public attention and to the Assembly's attention the absolutely parlous state of the ACT Ambulance Service. Mr Berry has shown that that service is in crisis. He has pointed out one fact after another which the Government and the Minister have totally failed to deny or failed to rectify.
Mr Berry has pointed out that there were 57 shifts not covered. He has pointed out that a station was closed on 32 occasions. He has pointed to a number of cases of desperately ill people in the ACT who were not able to get ambulances. I do not know how many cases he has to pile upon cases before this Government indicates any kind of compassion for those Canberra people who are being denied the ambulance service that they are paying for.
The Minister has absolutely failed to refute any of Mr Berry's assertions. He has totally failed to deny that 25 per cent of the total shifts were required to be overtime shifts. He has totally failed to address the question of the impact that has on the staff of the Ambulance Service. He has totally failed to deny that on occasions the staffing level has been down to 1 crews for four ambulances. I ask you!
Mr Speaker, none of that has been denied. Mr Berry has acted most properly in drawing these matters to attention. Mr Berry has indicated his compassion for the people of the Territory who are not getting the ambulance service for which they are paying.
Members interjected.
MS FOLLETT: It is like talking in a bear pit, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Order, please!
MS FOLLETT: Mr Humphries has totally failed to deny that there have been three occasions when one person had to go out on an ambulance job alone - to drive the ambulance, attend to the sick or injured, get them back into the ambulance, do whatever was necessary. One person! What
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