Page 4993 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
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MR HUMPHRIES: Ms Follett is disappointed to know that I will in fact be saying something.
Ms Follett: No, no; once more - with feeling.
MR HUMPHRIES: What I will be saying, of course, is that we all know health to be a disaster area. It would be hard to imagine that health could endure any more problems than it had in recent years; but this Minister has successfully lifted his game from his previous performance as Minister for Health and we have today a state of absolute chaos in some areas of the health system. That is a matter of great regret. In particular, Mr Speaker, I have to note that we, in this Assembly, are particularly goaded to make comments of that kind because we find ourselves unable to make informed comments based on accurate information, that accurate information being unforthcoming from this Minister.
Mr Connolly: How much information did you give us about your blow-out of $17m?
MR HUMPHRIES: I answered every question I was asked in the Assembly to the best of my ability and without obfuscation, and I provided information as requested by members of the Assembly without stint. I challenge anybody to compare my record of answering questions in the Assembly or in the Estimates Committee with that of the present Minister. I believe that I will come out very well from that comparison. Mr Speaker, I make one small point to bring that home. It is now 26 November - in fact, nearly 27 November - and we still have not had the October budget statement from the hospital system.
The Minister did undertake to provide that information in the Assembly. He did say that it would be provided within 48 hours of being provided to him. I assume that we are not going to find out, because we do not ever find out from this Minister what is going on. We are not going to find out whether he actually has the figures in his own hot little hands already.
Mr Berry: You should have asked me today and I would have told you.
MR HUMPHRIES: I give up on asking you questions, Mr Berry. You do not want to answer questions. You know that the best approach from your point of view is to clam up, and that is not going to change, apparently; so I am not going to waste my time asking you too many fruitless questions. But I think it is worth asking in this debate - and you have a chance to answer the question now - - -
Mr Berry: Stop pointing an accusing finger. You are pointing an accusing finger. I think that is a very cruel thing to do.
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