Page 3663 - Week 12 - Thursday, 13 October 1994
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Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: It is important to understand what is happening here. Mrs Carnell moved a motion based on what she had heard during question time today. The Minister has made a good point about nursing home beds at Calvary being counted. Mrs Carnell, in her speech supporting her motion did not mention nursing home beds at Calvary. Therefore, it is not part of this matter. She has raised, in her motion, matters based on what she heard in question time. She moved the motion after question time. She accepts certain points made by the Minister.
Mr Lamont: You had this written out before you came into question time.
Mr Humphries: No; I gave it to Mr Berry, Mr Lamont.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! You are raising a point of order, Mr Humphries. This is a very serious motion. The Minister may use any material he likes in defence of himself. Proceed, Mr Connolly.
MR CONNOLLY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am being censured for misrepresenting to the Assembly the number of available public hospital beds in the ACT. Members heard question time. Members heard the statements and the argument about the 20 beds at Calvary. Members would have read the Canberra Times this morning, where Mrs Carnell says that that is part of the misrepresentation; that those 20 beds at Calvary should not be counted as public hospital beds. This afternoon I tabled documents that showed that Mrs Carnell had been a party to such a counting. Members will note the length to which Mr Humphries has been going to try to stop me talking about those beds. I will desist from talking about those beds from here on in. I am not surprised that you are embarrassed about it, because it shows the hollowness of Mrs Carnell's and the Opposition's politicking over this issue.
Madam Speaker, again as I said in question time, at each point when I have come into this chamber and quoted a figure or a number for Health, I have done it on the basis of the information available to me. I made it clear in question time today that, when I referred to the 20 neonatal intensive care beds, I thought that they had previously been counted. They had not, and I said that today. If the advice in relation to what happens in New South Wales is the nub of the censure, you are a joke. The advice that I have in relation to those 20 neonatal cots is as follows:
The 20 neonatal cots are available for use by babies eligible for admission under the definitions relating to public hospital practices under the Medicare Agreement. Equivalent cots are counted in NSW in the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children.
We rang them last night, and my people talked to their people. The advice continues:
These beds are now included in order to best manage the Territory's interests under the Medicare Agreement. To continue the practice of not including them would potentially have a substantial negative impact on the Territory's Hospital Funding Grant.
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