Page 299 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (9.58): The first thing I would like to deal with is Mr Moore's concerns about the closure of Royal Canberra Hospital. He was right to be concerned about that, but the circumstances are well known. It was as a result of the fast-tracking of the former Alliance Government - - -
Mr Kaine: Here we go again. Why don't you take some responsibility for something yourself.
MR BERRY: All I would like you to do is - - -
Mr Kaine: Take responsibility for the lack of beds, for example.
MR BERRY: They twitch whenever I mention that. I thought I would mention it just to get another little twitch out of you, and it worked again. Mr Moore did mention that we need, on the last count, three more hospitals - one on the north side, one in Tuggeranong, and Royal Canberra Hospital as well.
Mr Moore: That is not what I said at all.
MR BERRY: Anyway, more new hospitals for Mr Moore. What we have to do is work out what the costs are but, at the same time, run a hospital system which services the needs of the people of the ACT, a public hospital system which is designed for the needs of the people of the ACT.
Mrs Carnell opened up early in her speech by singing the praises of the Priorities Review Board. The Priorities Review Board, for those who can take the time to remember it, was an extremely conservative right wing agenda which was set for the Alliance Government as a blueprint for the New Right in the ACT. It received the reception it deserved. It was completely ignored. It was giggled at, laughed at, chortled at and ignored.
Ms Follett: Even by Mr Kaine.
MR BERRY: Mr Kaine even said, "No, no, not us; not really; this is not the blueprint; don't you take any notice of that". Then, of course, other people were - - -
Mr Kaine: I did not say that.
MR BERRY: You did, to the trade union movement. Are you allowed to tell them one story and other people another?
Mr Kaine: I did not say that to the trade union movement.
MR BERRY: Yes, you said that it was not your blueprint for action. "This is not my plan of action", he said. Then, of course, it became a sort of dim, dark plan of action which never amounted to anything. Subsequently, of course, ACIL have given them another blueprint, and I suspect that we got our first dose of that today.
But then, of course, we have also been informed that as an alternative the Liberals would give their undying commitment to the "frightpack". The "frightpack" is designed to tax the food that our children eat, the clothes that they wear, the restaurants that our families eat at, tourism in the Territory and entertainment -
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