Page 2645 - Week 08 - Thursday, 24 August 2006
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to time that means that less urgent patients coming in on an ambulance will need to go to Calvary Hospital or, if Calvary has peak period demand, it will send its less urgent ambulance patients to Canberra Hospital. I add that that is not a measure of performance on any hospital in any assessment anywhere in the country.
Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I seek your direction. Mr Mulcahy asked a question that you said did not conform with the standing orders because it asked for an opinion. Standing order 117 (g) states:
The Speaker may direct that the language of a question be changed if, in the opinion of the Speaker, it is unbecoming or does not conform with the standing orders.
Mr Speaker, your usual practice is to allow for people—
MR SPEAKER: I have done that, Mrs Dunne, but I have also ruled that questions are out of order.
Ms MacDonald: Including from this side.
MR SPEAKER: I have ruled questions out of order on the government side. What do you want me to say?
Mrs Dunne: I am asking why you have ruled this way today when it is not always your practice?
MR SPEAKER: I exercised the prerogative provided to me under standing orders. I do not think you have much to complain about.
Mrs Dunne: I was just checking. Is it that you are cranky with us today?
MR SPEAKER: No, I am not cranky with you, Mrs Dunne.
MR SMYTH: I ask a supplementary question. Minister, as the trend shows that bypass is increasing, why has this government’s reforms failed? What will the minister do to fix the problem of bypass in Canberra’s public hospital system?
MS GALLAGHER: As I said, if Mr Smyth had put out a bypass media release for April he would have had to say, “Bypass time dramatically declines at Canberra Hospital.” I feel like putting out a media release stating, “Where are Mr Smyth’s August bypass figures? Why does he not release them?” I could then talk about how there are only eight hours so far in August. However, I thought that might be a bit cheeky.
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! I ask the minister to resume her seat. Pandemonium has broken out. Government members are contributing to interjections from the other side. We will have some order and allow the Minister for Health to continue with her response.
MS GALLAGHER: Sadly, we did not receive Mr Smyth’s August figures. I am glad that I had an opportunity to give the Assembly the August figures. I do not accept that
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