Page 4545 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 14 December 1993
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commitment to a convalescent facility by this Government is certainly a long way down the track now. We have absolutely no commitment from this Government. Mr Berry himself said in this house that until other health facilities associated with the hospice were built on Acton Peninsula it would cost us a bomb to run. How appropriate is that when we have a health budget that is under the sort of pressure that this health budget is under, or used to be under when we actually had doctors?
I think we have to accept that the people of Canberra deserve a hospice. We need it as part of our health system in this Territory. We need it now, not 10 years down the track, and not in an existing facility on Acton Peninsula either, Mr Berry. If an existing facility is all right on Acton, if building H is all right on Acton Peninsula, then why is not an existing building at Calvary all right? Why is it not all right?
Mr Berry: Because it is a hospital.
MRS CARNELL: Every other major hospice that has been built in this country of recent days has been built associated with other health facilities.
Madam Speaker, let me get back to the topic. What is this Government going to do about Acton Peninsula? What can we hope for from this Government? Are we going to continue to talk about health facilities or are we going to talk about a real vision for this important bit of land? Are we going to look at something that everybody in Canberra can use, not just 30 people in a convalescent unit 10 years down the track, or 17 people in a hospice, or even another 30 people involved in rehabilitation? Let us look at something that everybody in this community can look at, and that is what the NCPA are talking about. They are looking at getting a vision for this, or coming up with an approach for an important piece of land that everybody in Canberra, in fact, everybody in Australia, will be able to appreciate.
I think that this Assembly has to look at an innovative approach. Maybe we should look at the approach that has been suggested, that we should trade some of the land currently controlled by the Commonwealth on the Kingston foreshore for our rights to Acton Peninsula as long as, obviously, the plans for Acton Peninsula are in the best interests of the people of Canberra. Maybe we should be looking at supporting the proposed National Museum on Acton Peninsula. It is an exciting proposal. Or possibly we should be looking at supporting another national facility; but, quite honestly, I think the people of Australia do want a National Museum. The Acton Peninsula could not be a better site. It might be slightly smaller than was initially planned, but it is - - -
Mr Berry: Slightly?
Ms Follett: It is about a quarter of the size.
MRS CARNELL: But with the use of the island as well it could be a very exciting proposal. Let us look at something that is positive. Let us look at something that is in the best interests of the people in Canberra and stop arguing about hospices placed in inappropriate spots.
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