Page 3998 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 23 November 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The people with disabilities seem to figure very small in the scheme of things. There is virtually nothing in the budget that talks about the family and, of course, other needy areas. We do not need to go past unemployed youth and homeless youth. I think that the Government really needs to give some priority to these matters in this budget and future budgets. I commend this report to the Assembly.
MRS CARNELL (Leader of the Opposition) (8.47): Madam Speaker, I concur with the comments made by Mr Kaine and Ms Szuty. I also compliment the various departments on the much better documentation than existed last year. My first experience of estimates procedures was last year, and certainly this year was substantially easier. I also agree with Ms Szuty that a better timeframe would be very appropriate, to make sure that what is a good process is even better and produces even better government accountability for the people of Canberra. It was interesting to note that, with a report that had so many recommendations and was so broad-ranging in its approach, we had unanimity in the committee. I think that really highlights the overwhelming weight of evidence that we had in support of the findings of the committee. That says a lot for the whole committee process, for the chairmanship of Ms Szuty and for the wonderful work that Karin Malmberg did on behalf of the committee.
Like Mr Kaine and Ms Szuty, I would like to highlight a few recommendations. I would particularly like to highlight the area of health. One of the recommendations the committee put forward arose from its concern about the artificial limits on the number of patient episodes - 50,500 in the ACT public hospital system - and its concern that that would produce longer waiting lists for elective surgery.
Mr Berry: You do not mind dollar limits, but you do not like patient limits. You have to make up your mind.
MRS CARNELL: This was the whole committee, Mr Berry. The whole committee - together, unanimously - supported this approach. After quite substantial questioning and debate within the Estimates Committee, the committee believes quite strongly that to set an artificial limit on the number of patient episodes in our public hospital system is unrealistic. Mr Moore asked a number of questions on this issue. We brought forward the issue that the ACT population is increasing yearly by some 1.7 per cent; that the ageing population in the ACT is increasing by some 4 per cent.
Mr Berry said regularly in response to these questions - questions asked not just by the Liberals but by the Independents as well - that it just would not happen. Madam Speaker, I was fascinated to see the activity reports that were released this week. It seems that in the first three months of this financial year the activity - - -
Mr Berry: The first quarter.
MRS CARNELL: In the first quarter of this financial year, Madam Speaker, the activity increased by just over 2.4 per cent. The number of separations for same day patients went up by 1.7 per cent. It would seem that the concern expressed by the committee in this particular area has borne fruit. At least it did in the first quarter, Mr Berry. So possibly, Mr Berry, it is a very good thing that you do not have any doctors any longer; otherwise you would really have trouble with your activity levels.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .