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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (6 May) . . Page.. 993 ..

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry!

Mr Berry: I withdraw "lie".

MR SPEAKER: Thank you.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, may I answer the question again, because Mr Berry seems to want to waste an awful lot of time. The number of people on the waiting list during January and February resulted in part, as I said, from adjustments made at a local level in line with the national health data dictionary requirements. These vary from time to time, and because we want to make sure that our figures are in line with national requirements we assess them from time to time. We have done that. The figures on the table are the real figures; they are always the real figures, because we do not have problems with phantom patients; we do not have problems, as Mr Berry did, with all of these people who did not really exist. The reason we do not is that, from time to time, we relook at our figures and make sure they are in line with national data requirements. I think that shows good management. As well, in January, we had the usual Christmas close-down.

The figures are on the table. As I said to Mr Berry earlier, the waiting lists will go up again slightly in February; they will then go down in March; and they will continue to track down from there. We are 15 per cent better placed than we were when we came to government; we are 262 better placed than we were 12 months ago. I would have to say that we are probably the only government in this country that has lower waiting lists - - -

Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: In my supplementary question I merely asked Mrs Carnell to provide the figures. Will she provide the figures to all members by the end of the day? I would like to see - - -

Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: There is no point of order here.

MR SPEAKER: I know.

Mr Humphries: Mr Berry should be asked to sit down.

Mr Berry: I would like to see the figures and the adjusted figures.

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. You have asked your supplementary question.

MRS CARNELL: As I said, Mr Berry has the December waiting list figures. The adjusted figures are the end of January figures. He has December; he has January; and by the end of this sitting period he will have February and March as well. I have guaranteed to Mr Berry that they are in line with national data set requirements, Mr Speaker. That is more than he could say; he did not even know how many patients he treated.

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