Page 2795 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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Mr Humphries did not appear to have that level of commitment when he was the Minister for Health, because he had, in fact, approved a large private hospital on a prime piece of land and, of course, there was little interest in that proposal. At the same time we had a very clear situation where there was a lack of demand for additional private hospital beds and waiting lists in the public hospital system had blown out by unprecedented amounts. So, the focus for the Labor Government is to strengthen the public hospital system and - - -
Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question does not touch on any of the things that Mr Berry has said to the Assembly. My question is about private hospital beds and whether the Government is pursuing a policy to increase the number of private hospital beds pursuant to that statement in the report yesterday. Can I have an answer to that question?
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I am well aware of Mr Humphries' philosophical commitment to expand the private sector at a cost to the public sector. Mr Humphries argues that the Territory can save money by letting somebody else run the hospital services. Well, Mr Speaker, Mr Humphries is going to be sorely disappointed, because we will continue with our focus on the public hospital system. If there is an increase in demand for private hospital beds - and we have no objection to private hospital beds per se - the Government will look at it at a time when it is appropriate. It certainly is not appropriate at this point in time when we have 95 approved beds which are unused. For this member to be peddling the argument that we ought to be strengthening the private hospital system at the expense of the public hospital system is over the top.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, Mr Berry has not answered one iota of the question I asked. This is about the fourth day in a row that I have risen in this place and asked Mr Berry questions, none of which has been answered. My question is quite specific. This is my supplementary question. Is the ratio of ACT private hospital beds lower than the national average? Does Mr Berry agree with the statement in his own report, tabled yesterday, and is he doing anything about it if he does agree? You have not answered.
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, I do not know why Mr Humphries is asking me the question about the ratio of beds. He knows the answer and so does everybody else. Of course the ratio is different, but so are the historical circumstances and so is the way that his Government has managed hospital services. It has done significant damage to the public hospital system in the ACT. What we have to do is turn our focus away from issues which are not related to quality public hospital services. We have a focus on that, Mr Humphries, and you are going to have to learn to live with it. We are hell-bent on ensuring that the public hospital system in the ACT is improved, and we will do that. You were unable to do that and you were unable to manage them properly.
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