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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Tuesday, 22 June 2004) . . Page.. 2338 ..

MR STEFANIAK (5.03): It’s probably all I need, Mr Deputy Speaker. I think that last comment by Ms MacDonald says it all—“the best team to take on these issues”. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the hospital in such a bad situation. I’ve never heard nurses who’ve been there for 35 years or more stating, “I have never seen it this bad.” I’ve never seen or heard so many doctors, not having been particularly involved in the portfolio in my time in this Assembly, actually saying to me, “We have never seen it so bad.” It is a real worry.

It was mentioned earlier about people just going in for basic things in the emergency department. Five, six years ago it would take you two hours; now it takes you six hours. An 85-year-old woman spent 3¾ days before her arm was actually fixed up and attended to.

It’s not that the staff aren’t trying. I speak to a number of nurses who do double shifts. The minister and the officials say, “It’s only about 3 or 4 per cent of the total number of nurses who are doing those shifts.” It may be, but it’s in specific areas. You’ve got people in those areas who are there for 14, 15 or 16 hours simply because—

MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The time for the discussion has expired.

Legal Affairs—Standing Committee

Scrutiny report 50

MR STEFANIAK: I present the following report:

Legal Affairs—Standing Committee (performing the duties of a Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee)—Scrutiny Report 50, dated 15 June 2004, together with the relevant minutes of proceedings.

I seek leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: Scrutiny report 50 contains the committee’s comments on seven bills and two government responses. The report was circulated to members when the Assembly was not sitting. I commend the report to the Assembly.

I hope members now have a response from Mr Stanhope in relation to the JACS bill. If you do not, I have a copy here that I could table so that members could have a copy. I ask for leave to table it.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: I present the following report:

Legal Affairs—Standing Committee (performing the duties of a Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee)—Scrutiny Report 50—Response from Mr Stanhope (Attorney-General), dated 22 June 2004, in relation to comments made in the Report regarding the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2004.

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