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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 10 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2826 ..

The new Office of Sustainability, another key Labor election commitment implemented, is developing a sustainability framework which will provide the broad guidance on sustainability objectives and indicators, which will certainly inform the work of this very important study.

Mr Speaker, the Halliburton KBR team includes specialists in project management, engineering, public transport, economics and property. It is a very extensive and specialised team. It was selected from a number of high-quality submissions for tender, and it will provide a comprehensive and professional approach to the study.

The study team has a good balance of both local expertise and expertise from interstate and experience of similar projects around bus lanes and light rail, which are the sorts of things we need to make the study worth while. They are expected to start work early next month, and I am pleased to advise members that the final report is due by mid next year and will involve a series of workshops that include key stakeholders.

Calvary Hospital-pathology services

MS DUNDAS: My question is for the Minister for Health. I understand that ACT Pathology recently took over the provision of pathology services for Calvary Private Hospital. How much did the ACT government have to pay out to the former provider to enable ACT Pathology to take over these services for Calvary Private?

MR STANHOPE: It is true that ACT Pathology has moved to provide a coordinated and integrated pathology service to the ACT. I do not have the precise figure. I am happy to get it and to table it, hopefully at the conclusion of question time.

Arrangements have been made for ACT Pathology to provide a system-wide pathology service, which is consistent, we believe, with the integrated, coordinated approach to health care delivery that was very much a feature of the Reid report. I am happy to provide the detail. To ensure that I get it absolutely correct, I would prefer to take the question on notice. I should be able to table an answer this afternoon.

MS DUNDAS: I note that the Chief Minister says that he will table the information, but will you be able to assure us that we are getting value for money from ACT Pathology and that ACT taxpayers' money is not subsidising private contracts undertaken by ACT Pathology?

MR STANHOPE: Most certainly, Ms Dundas. I quite happily and willingly guarantee that the arrangements that are being put in place in relation to the provision of pathology services across the board in the ACT will deliver real outcomes in enhanced health care delivery in the ACT. I have absolutely no doubt about that. If I felt otherwise, then we would not have gone down this path.

A range of other issues and pressures in relation to the provision and delivery of pathology services in the ACT were a part of the discussion and the eventual decision in relation to the model that has now been developed and will be provided. I will give those details and the exact arrangements, but certainly the steps that have been taken are entirely consistent with a coordinated and system-wide approach to health care delivery

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