Page 2668 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
My record on travel and associated matters is one which I am very proud of. It is quite clear that I am not extravagant. I think it is disgraceful that Mrs Carnell now agrees with that last statement but continues to attack this current delegation arrangement. I think it is cheap politicking. In the words of Mr Louttit, the former president of the Liberal Party, what the Opposition at present is doing is cheap politics - and I agree with him.
Mr Ricky Stuart - Surgery
MR MOORE: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Health, Mr Berry. Could the Minister explain why it is that Ricky Stuart needed to go to Sydney to have his leg surgery instead of going to our principal hospital here in the ACT? Perhaps he could inform the Assembly why this surgery could not have been undertaken in the ACT, considering the millions of dollars that are being spent to upgrade our principal hospital. Does this incident mean that our principal hospital does not have the capacity to cater for this sort of emergency or that we do not have good enough visiting medical officers? The final part of this question is: Would Mr Stuart have had to fly to Sydney if he had a groin injury?
MR BERRY: It is unfortunate, I suppose, that somebody who has such a public profile as Ricky Stuart comes under such scrutiny when he suffers an injury; but I recently heard of a rugby union player, who I suspect had a similar injury, going to the Woden Valley Hospital, having treatment there and being quite well catered for. This is a country of choice, and you can choose where you have your medical procedures performed. I think probably the best person to ask that question of would be Kevin Neil.
I think one of the major difficulties that Ricky Stuart and the hospital system would have would be keeping the fans and well-wishers away and keeping the other patients in their beds. They would all want to go and say good day, because Ricky Stuart is such a popular fellow and everybody was so sympathetic about the injury that he suffered in not unusual but unlucky circumstances. It is a matter of choice where you have your surgery performed in this country. I am sure that it could have been performed here, but again I say that it would probably have been a large burden on the hospital system to keep the fans and well-wishers away had Ricky Stuart had that surgery here and had he stayed in our hospital while he was receiving it.
Institute of Technology - Assessment System
MR CORNWELL: My question is addressed to Mr Wood, the Minister for Education and Training. The Canberra Institute of Technology is proposing to introduce a system of assessment under which students will receive only one of two possible grades, competent or not competent - that is "not competent", not "incompetent". Also I understand that teachers will not be required to mark the result of an examination paper after 50 per cent. Could you explain the reasoning for this extraordinary decision and whether it has the support of both students and employers?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .