Page 6201 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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As Canberra does not have an existing course, it would be possible for such a concept to be put into place in the ACT well in advance of other courses elsewhere. This type of development, bringing with it as it does an opportunity for the highest quality of medical practice to be developed locally, is extremely attractive to this Government in achieving the best possible outcomes for hospital services provided to the people of the Australian Capital Territory. I present the following paper:
Proposal to develop a Medical Undergraduate Clinical School in the ACT - Ministerial statement, 17 December 1991.
Mr Speaker, I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
DR KINLOCH (3.37): There is not time to debate this matter at the moment, but I will come back to it later. I want to congratulate the Government on this proposal. I am very pleased indeed. I am sure that all members of the Hospital Bed Numbers Committee are pleased to see that we have been operating along the same lines. I am particularly pleased to see that development related to the University of Sydney. This seems to me to fit into the notions of a progressive Canberra looking to the future.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.38): I concur with Dr Kinloch. This is a quite welcome announcement by the Government. It is one I certainly was not expecting from this Government. I had every indication that Mr Berry was - - -
Mr Berry: You doubting Thomas you.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have to say that I had great cynicism about this Government's willingness even to consider this question, and I am still not convinced that this announcement has not been prompted more by a desire to take this potentially embarrassing issue off the agenda before the election than by any real conviction.
Every time I have heard Mr Berry speak about a clinical school before today, it has been in disparaging terms. He has spoken about the extra costs it entails, about pandering to doctors - matters of that kind. So, it comes as some genuine surprise to see the Minister suddenly embrace medical education with such fervour. However, whatever the reasons for his conversion, I am very pleased that it has occurred. I welcome the concept of a medical school in the ACT. I have believed for quite some time that it is appropriate and necessary in the ACT.
As Dr Kinloch indicated, this is an important initiative on which the Hospital Bed Numbers Committee has commented and urged the Government to take action. I am therefore very pleased to see that action is being taken, and I urge the Minister not to drop the ball now, particularly in the
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