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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1138 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Mr Berry has said that Mrs Carnell moved quickly to sign the contracts so that Mr Berry's motion today would be stumped or stymied by Mrs Carnell's signing of the contract. Mrs Carnell indicated in her budget last year - almost a year ago - that she would be signing a contract for a private hospital. Mr Berry had numerous opportunities between then and now to move this motion, and he neglected to do so. Mr Berry knew perfectly well what was going on and understands what the situation is.

Mr Speaker, I have to ask the question: Why, in this day and age, when every single health system in this country - indeed, I go further and say every single hospital system in the world, practically; maybe not Cuba, but practically in the world - relies on an interplay between public and private hospitals and hospital systems, are we trying to wind back the clock in the ACT? Can we forget that Mr Berry railed publicly against his colleague Mr Connolly for daring to introduce more private hospital beds into the John James Hospital in 1994? Can we forget how he publicly attacked Mr Connolly, his colleague in the Labor Government at the time, for overturning his decision as Minister for Health not to allow John James Hospital to have more beds? Can he recall that?

Mr Berry: No, that is not true.

MR HUMPHRIES: It is true. Do not forget there is Hansard, Mr Berry. Go and get the Hansard and the records and bring them back. I also have access to the library. It says there what you said at the time. Mr Connolly, to his credit, went ahead and opened those private hospital beds. It would not have happened under Mr Berry. Mr Speaker, Mrs Carnell is also moving, at this stage, to address an obvious unmet need in the hospital system of the ACT to supply those beds, those services, which are not presently - - -

Mr Berry: It is a bit hard to stop somebody from having a baby. It keeps wanting to get out.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I have not said a single sentence without Mr Berry interrupting me.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Would you be quiet, Mr Berry. You have already spoken.

Mr Berry: Mrs Carnell and I are having an interjection contest.

MR SPEAKER: You can do it outside. Mr Humphries has the floor.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, we see that Mr Berry is stumped by the reality that the world is moving on; that the new Labor Party opposite is, in reality, Mr Berry's old Labor Party, with the same old shibboleths, the same old ideology. He knows that he cannot stop private hospitals and private hospital services being an important part of this Territory's operation.

Mr Berry: I just want to show the community what you are doing to them.

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