Page 4196 - Week 14 - Thursday, 25 October 1990
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Mr Jensen: You have been over this before. You cannot repeat stuff, surely.
Mr Humphries: We will play a game, Mr Berry. Mr Speaker, I think - - -
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Humphries! Mr Berry, resume your chair.
Mr Humphries: I think, Mr Speaker, that Mr Berry is employing, with respect to the comments that he is making - - -
Mrs Grassby: What is your number? What is it?
Mr Humphries: Mrs Grassby, if you are patient I think you will quickly discover what I am getting to. You should restrain yourself from interjecting across the chamber. Mr Speaker, ask Mr Berry to resume his seat during the point of order.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, please resume your seat, Mr Berry. I did not realise that you had stood again.
Mr Humphries: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also thank Mr Berry. A member may not allude to any debate or proceeding in the same calendar year unless such allusion is relevant to the matter under discussion.
MR SPEAKER: I believe that you are entitled to speak, Mr Berry. Please proceed.
MR BERRY: Only 28 qualified operational staff members are left to manage the ACT Ambulance Service this day. That is because of the inadequate staffing of the service and the failure of the Government to make decisions which would improve the staffing level so that the people of Canberra get the service for which they pay. The people of the ACT are being forced to pay money now for a service that they do not get. They do not even have the option of withdrawing from it, under the Government's ambulance levy collection policy.
The Minister has to accept this. It is his ministerial responsibility to accept it. All I require is that he adopt the same standards as I did as Minister, namely, that one accepts the responsibility for what is going on in one's portfolio. Fair enough; if the Minister had not had these matters brought to his attention until most recently when the issue hit the headlines, I accept that. But there are problems in the service, and he has to move quickly. He has to accept the responsibility for not having done anything until this matter was brought to his attention, and the fact that the Ambulance Service still - - -
Mr Humphries: What did you do before it was brought to your attention?
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