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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 250 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

This was the invitation I extended to the Minister this morning. I went on to ask whether the Minister would care to address in the debate today the areas of the hospital's operations that are the cause of the blow-out. I said, "How, and when, will the Minister address these?". I went on:

Tell us now how you plan to address the burgeoning waiting lists for elective surgery ...

I concluded:

... the nearest the Minister has come to revealing a strategy to repair the damage suffered by the Territory's public health system was to refuse to rule out privatising all or part of the system.

That was what I said this morning. That was the invitation I extended to the Minister and the Government. It was an invitation extended by me to the Government in relation to this serious issue.

In the context of the amendment which has now been moved by Mr Smyth, I think we need to reflect on the contributions to this debate made by the Minister, by the Chief Minister and by the Deputy Chief Minister. They were presentations which dwelt on the past. They made absolutely no effort to deal with strategies for - - -

Mr Moore: They did not. That is a misrepresentation. Come off it, Jon Stanhope. That is just not true.

MR STANHOPE: I take a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker.

Mr Moore: You cannot take a point of order yourself; you are speaking.

MR STANHOPE: Then I will not; I will just make the statement.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Carry on with your speech.

MR STANHOPE: I will make the point, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will carry on my speech. We have in this debate, I think, witnessed in Mr Moore's behaviour such continuing disregard and disrespect for the Chair in this place that I am surprised that no action has been taken against him.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, you can raise a point of order while you are speaking.

MR STANHOPE: Thank you very much.

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Let us get down to the business.

MR STANHOPE: I am very pleased to receive that information. I will restrain myself. I will take the opportunity to do that in future, Mr Deputy Speaker. We have dwelt on the past.

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