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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 9 Hansard (20 August) . . Page.. 2447 ..

MR STANHOPE: I stand by the spending priorities that are reflected in our budget. I stand by the fact that we have put millions of dollars more into health spending in this territory than you were ever prepared to do, the fact that we have increased health expenditure by 13 per cent, that we have devoted $462 million to health expenditure, that we have made the most significant injection ever into disability services, $21/2 million a year over four years, $10 million more for people with a disability.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you, Chief Minister. Resume your seat.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Minister, can you explain exactly how we are getting better value for our health care dollar?

MR STANHOPE: I think that you had better get in touch with a bit of reality, actually. I think that you had better get out there and take a look at the unmet need in the community. It is absolutely appalling to me that we find today the Liberal Party standing up and questioning the expenditure of money on disability services and on mental health.

Mr Humphries: We are not questioning that.

MR STANHOPE: You have in all of your interjections today. You are questioning why we are bothering to waste money on people with disabilities. You are questioning why we are bothering to waste money on people with mental illness.

Mr Smyth: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Resume your seat, Chief Minister. Mr Smyth, it had better be a good one.

Mr Smyth: The supplementary question was quite clear. It was about how we are getting better value for our health care dollar, not that we are spending more. He promised-

MR SPEAKER: What is your point of order, Mr Smyth?

Mr Smyth: The point of order is that he is not answering the question.

Mr Humphries: That is right, and it is not relevant to the question that was asked.

MR SPEAKER: Be relevant.

MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I will bring back tomorrow for all members details of all the programs that will be funded in the health portfolio and I will ask the members of the Liberal Party to express their views on why it is that they think we should not be spending the money that we are spending on people with mental illness, with disabilities or with cancer, which is what they are saying.

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