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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1137 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: Indeed, we did; we got it. Mr Berry, who was Health Minister at the time, responded in a particular way to it, and I am happy to quote his words:

This is just a stunt - nothing more than that. It is not about a reasonable inquiry into what is going on in the hospital system at all.

Mr Berry: It was, and the inquiry turned up nothing. The inquiry did not turn up a thing.

MR HUMPHRIES: Plus ca change, Mr Berry. It is no more than a political stunt. He has roped other members of the Assembly into the same belief. It is a complete and utter waste of time. We have in front of us a motion that has been moved by the discredited former Minister for Health.

Mr Osborne: You have never pulled a stunt in your life, Gary? What about trading hours?

MR HUMPHRIES: No, never. This is the Minister who left the hospital system a smoking ruin. The man has been responsible for all that happened in the hospital system over his period as Minister. At the end of the day, his committee will achieve nothing. At that point, Mr Moore said something. Mr Moore chuckles behind me, as he often does. Mr Moore obviously does not understand it either; but Mr Moore, hungry for issues, of course, is keen to get on this one as well. So, Mr Speaker, as I said, plus ca change, the wheel comes full circle.

I simply want to say, Mr Speaker, that if ever there was a motion moved by ideology it is this motion here today. Mr Berry detests all things private. He believes that the idea of having more private hospital beds in our hospital system is an absolute outrage. He wants to stop it. He realises that it is a bit late to stop it on this occasion, but he will do his damnedest by having an inquiry. At least he will be able to discredit it, he hopes, by having an inquiry. The reality, Mr Speaker, is that, of course, Mr Berry is too late. Mr Berry knew a year ago that the Government was moving to establish a private hospital. He should have moved for his inquiry then, not now.

Mr Berry: I had my briefing just recently, Gary.

MR HUMPHRIES: You get briefings when you ask for them, Mr Berry. I remind you that, when you were Minister for Health, Mrs Carnell never got briefings at all.

Mr Berry: Yes, she did. In fact, somebody from my office or I myself would go to the briefings.

MR HUMPHRIES: Yes, I know; you always made sure that someone was there when someone was giving her the briefing, did you not? Mr Speaker, I think there were two occasions when there was a briefing provided to the woman who would one day become the Minister for Health and Chief Minister of the Territory. That changed when Mr Connolly became Minister for Health. While Mr Berry was Minister for Health, Mrs Carnell almost never got a briefing. But that is the past.

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