Page 2432 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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we can expect much more of that in the coming months. What a farce it is to say that this is an open and consultative government. It certainly is not.
Mr Speaker, that document ought to be a public document. It ought to be released as soon as possible. I think the Government is to be condemned for its secrecy on this matter, as it is to be condemned for its secrecy with respect to that report in relation to the Ambulance Service which it received a few days ago. If it is going to make itself in any way credible on that question about being open, it ought to release that document, make it available to the people of the ACT, and then get on with the decision it has to make about the future of this ACT public hospital system.
DR KINLOCH (5.00): Mr Speaker, I would like to endorse the bulk of Mr Humphries' remarks. I also would like to see this report as soon as possible. I welcomed Mr Berry's comments about taking care of his friends. Perhaps he could give us a call and let us know when the document will be ready. We would like to see it, preferably tonight or first thing in the morning.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (5.01), in reply: There are just a few issues that I would like to raise arising from those speeches. I have to say that I was quite surprised by the hypocrisy that Mr Humphries demonstrated in relation to the release of plans and reports. I take this Assembly back to the preparation of the functional plan for the hospital redevelopment project. The functional plan was required in the normal course of events before one could develop the development plan. Unfortunately, it appears that the functional plan did not match the Government's development plan; so the functional plan, it seems, was delayed and it never saw the light of day. But, most importantly, the master development control plan was not released either.
Mr Humphries: It was not ready yet; that is why.
MR BERRY: He complains about Labor's reassessment of a hospital system for which two very important plans were, in his day, kept secret. Now, the report before the Government is one for government consideration. It perhaps explains why Mr Humphries has been turfed out of the Leader of the Opposition position when he suggests that these reports - important reports, I should add - be released before the Government considers them. Obviously, the preselectors in the Liberal Party have recognised his inability to cope with these important government strategies and operations of government. The important issue, of course, is that the Government will consider it, and it will consider it carefully.
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