Page 3855 - Week 12 - Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Mr Smyth: Answer the question. It is about national capital private.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Smyth.
MS GALLAGHER: We do not have a simple answer or a simple response—which is 100 acute-care beds now without any idea of where they need to go. The new beds in this year’s budget will target older patients—those over the age of 75, who in terms of the data that I have seen are the ones affected most by access block. We are planning where these beds needs to go.
I imagine that in every budget from now into the near future there will be extra beds. When we cannot get those beds operational within the public system because of the work that needs to be done to create the new unit for the beds, this makes sense. We share a campus with national capital private; they are there. Our patients can move between the hospitals. Nobody broke national capital private’s arm. I am sure that they entered into the agreement with ACT Health only because it suited them as well.
MR STEFANIAK: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I thank the minister for the answer and she may or may not be able to answer this. Minister, what action are you taking to ensure that those patients who are being denied access to beds in the National Capital Private Hospital are able to be treated appropriately? What inquiries will you make, minister?
MS GALLAGHER: As I have said, if private patients were missing out I am sure the National Capital Private Hospital would not have entered an agreement with ACT Health to supply 10 beds for ACT public patients to use. I am not aware of any private patient who has been denied service at national capital private because the government is purchasing 10 beds from national capital private. From my understanding, this arrangement is in both parties’ interests. As I said, national capital private could have said no to us if it was going to impact on their private business, but certainly I am not aware of any advice to me that private patients are missing out—and I imagine I would have heard about it by now.
Rhodium Asset Solutions Ltd
MR MULCAHY: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, you recently claimed that the sale of Rhodium would have little impact on the local motor vehicle trading industry, as most motor vehicle lease companies purchase vehicles from local dealers. The fact is that most motor vehicle leasing companies are not based in Canberra. Chief Minister, doesn’t this mean that the vehicles could well be purchased in bulk in local markets like Sydney and Melbourne? If this is the case, won’t this potentially impact adversely on territory business?
MR STANHOPE: I thank Mr Mulcahy for the question. My advice—the advice that I have from Treasury in relation to the likely implications or impact of the sale of Rhodium on local business—is as revealed or declared now by Mr Mulcahy. The advice that I have received is that experience in other places in Australia is that fleet companies such as Rhodium that operate elsewhere in Australia are inclined to utilise
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