Page 2347 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 August 2006
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Mr Mulcahy: A million.
Mr Smyth: More than $800,000.
MS GALLAGHER: No. The estimates have always been an estimate. I have always said it is around $800,000, but with the new car park coming on next year, it is obviously going to be more than that.
Mr Smyth: No, you said it was less 10 per cent. You said the reduction was less 10 per cent, which is $720,000. Now it is over a million.
MS GALLAGHER: That is a rough estimate of what we are expecting. That is the way it has been phrased. You cannot try to trip me up on that, Mr Smyth. It is a bit boring.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Smyth.
MS GALLAGHER: It is a bit boring. I have been asked how much are we expecting this to rise. I should not be speaking to you.
MR SPEAKER: Take no notice of him.
MS GALLAGHER: I know I should not. The estimate, as best as it can be provided to me, is around $800,000. That is not a full-year effect because we were not able to bring it in on 1 July. That is not counting the extra car parking that is going to come on line, hopefully, early next year. So it is an estimate, but I expect it will be above $800,000 and that will be the money you guys will need to find if you win government one day, and you abolish the system that we have been putting in place, which is entirely responsible. It is a responsible way of managing the traffic problems at Canberra Hospital and it is raising valuable money for our health system. We have to look at some way of funding our health system, which is growing at 10 per cent per annum. We have to bring that back down. We have to look at other ways to find money to support the health system, and this is an obvious way where the government has been in a position to raise some revenue and to plough that revenue back into the health system.
Obviously, those opposite are not interested in my presentation on paid parking. They have moved a motion asking me to give a presentation on paid parking at Canberra Hospital and the Calvary Hospital. I am attempting to do that and they are constantly interjecting. So I will finish there. They are obviously not interested in it. It is a bit of a joke for them that we are looking at responsible ways to raise money for the health system and to ensure that some of the traffic pressures that we have been experiencing at our hospital, and particularly pressures where visitors want to visit people at the hospital, are being alleviated in a responsible fashion.
Personal explanation
MR SMYTH: Under standing order 46, I have some explanations I would like to make.
MR SPEAKER: Have you been misrepresented, Mr Smyth?
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