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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Thursday, 26 August 2004) . . Page.. 4321 ..

Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: under 118 (b), the minister is debating again. He was asked when the 200 beds will become operational. If he does not know, will he just say so?

MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, the question was asked in relation to 200 beds and Mr Stanhope was answering in response to the question. You cannot answer questions about aged care, I would not have thought, without mentioning the Commonwealth.

Mr Cornwell: You can in this case, because they’ve been sitting on these 200-odd.

MR STANHOPE: We are not sitting on any beds.

Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the Chief Minister has been answering the question, but there is such a cacophony of sound over there that they could not possibly hear his answer. I ask you to congratulate Mr Stefaniak, the only person over there who isn’t—

MR SPEAKER: Sit down, Mr Hargreaves.

MR STANHOPE: Let me just conclude with the remark that we have in place now a detailed strategy that is working to deliver, in a timely and an orderly fashion, all beds that have been provided to the ACT by the Commonwealth. We have not received enough beds from the Commonwealth. It is an indictment of the Liberal Party federally that they will not provide us with sufficient beds to meet our need. We have more land—development ready, approved, available and in the process of either having been granted or being granted to private sector providers—than we have beds, by far.

Mrs Dunne: Calvary isn’t; there’s no approved DA.

MR STANHOPE: We are waiting for Calvary to lodge its DA. You need to understand this. It is all right to cackle and to laugh. There is no decision of the ACT government impacting on the delay that is being experienced in relation to Calvary. I need to say this; you need to understand it. Calvary needs to accept responsibility for that.

Mr Smyth: It’s Calvary’s fault?

Mrs Burke: Blame the community again.

MR STANHOPE: It is Calvary’s fault. We are waiting for Calvary. It is Calvary’s fault—absolutely and totally. It is their responsibility.

Mr Hargreaves: Mr Speaker, warn somebody.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR STANHOPE: It is Calvary’s responsibility—absolutely and solely. The ACT government has been waiting patiently for the Little Company of Mary to make its decision. We do not know why they’ve delayed to the extent that they have. We understand now that they’re in a position where they can, having agreed to proceed with

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