Page 1290 - Week 05 - Thursday, 25 June 1992
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In terms of public consultation on the issue, I think we have made our decision in relation to the facilities that were planned for the site. Public consultation about how they might be provided is a matter for the future, once the Government determines how it might deal with the Acton site in the course of budget considerations. I can assure you that when the Government decides to move forward in any respect in relation to the Acton site the public will be fully informed.
Hospice
MRS CARNELL: My question to the Minister for Health is also about the government-community consultation process. Were any of the following organisations consulted on the siting of the proposed hospice: The ACT Hospice Society, the ACT Cancer Society, the ACT Council on the Ageing, and Calvary Hospital? Does the Government's decision to site the hospice at Acton reflect the views of any of these important organisations?
MR BERRY: I do not recall the detail of discussions with those organisations, but can I say that the Government's decision to announce in the election campaign that a hospice would be sited on the Acton Peninsula was made against a background of consideration of issues raised by organisations such as the Hospice Society. The Hospice Society had made it clear at an early stage that they would prefer the hospice to be sited at Calvary Hospital.
Mr Humphries: So I was not - - -
MR BERRY: The Hospice Society can take a particular view, but because the Hospice Society takes a particular view does not mean that the Government is necessarily locked into it. Their views were taken into consideration, of course. I should say that the Hospice Society also offered some support for the siting of the hospice on Acton Peninsula. Any further consideration about what the hospice might look like in the context of what is decided by the Government on its siting will be the subject of notice to the Hospice Society.
All sorts of groups and organisations have particular preferences for the siting of the hospice. On the one hand, there is a very strong argument put by some groups that it ought to be located at Woden Valley Hospital. Others argue that a nice site would be on the Acton Peninsula, and that is one that has received some support by government.
Mr Humphries: From whom? Who put that forward? Anybody?
MR BERRY: Mr Humphries continues to interject, Madam Speaker, if I can draw this to your attention. If Mr Humphries wants to raise questions on health, given that he made such a shemozzle of it earlier, perhaps he should climb to his feet and ask them, instead of rudely interjecting the way he does.
Mr Humphries: I let you off the hook by interjecting there, didn't I? It is your favourite subject.
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