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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (6 May) . . Page.. 991 ..

Mr Speaker, in January there is the Christmas shutdown, as Mr Berry would know. The surgeons, nurses and others are on holidays, usually for about four weeks. Under the previous Government, it got up to six weeks, I think, and even longer at certain times. But also in January we had a relook at the figures with regard to the national data set. Mr Berry would probably know - although when he was Health Minister I do not think he knew much - there is a national approach to counting waiting lists; there are national rules; they change from time to time. In January we had a reaudit of our waiting list in line with new national data statistics. That is about transparency, Mr Speaker. We had a Christmas close-down; we made sure that our data was in line with national data sets.

In regard to the figures on the table, yes, they went up in January; yes, they will go up slightly in February; then they will start coming down again in March; and, we believe, they will continue to track down. The bottom line here, Mr Speaker, is that at the end of March they are still 15 per cent lower than when we came to government. Under Mr Berry and Mr Connolly they went from 1,700 in 1989 to over 4,500. They are under 4,000 now.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. It is true that what you said to the Canberra Times on 11 April was untrue? You misled the Canberra Times in relation to the reason for the rise in waiting lists? Now that you have been exposed for the reassessment, recount or audit - - -

Mrs Carnell: No.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR BERRY: - - - of the waiting lists as the real reason for the change in waiting list numbers - - -

Mrs Carnell: No; it is called the national health data dictionary requirements.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR BERRY: It has called into question the way you count things in your health system.

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question, Mr Berry?

MR BERRY: Would you tell this house whom the audit was done by and when it was done? Will you table a copy of the audit or reassessment or provide a copy of the report or assessment to each member before the close of business this afternoon?

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, what I said - - -

Mr Berry: Or will I be required to move a motion requiring her to do so?

MR SPEAKER: Just sit down. That is not part of the question.

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