Page 3873 - Week 12 - Thursday, 23 November 2006
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
received that recalcitrance ourselves. When we talk about the network’s need to extend—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, I have to say this gets pretty close to a ministerial statement—
MR HARGREAVES: It is not a statement. In fact, I wish to table a couple of documents, but I want to give an explanation for them too.
MR SPEAKER:—for which you might otherwise be limited to five minutes.
MR HARGREAVES: It will not take long; just trust me. When Aerial Consolidated Transport wanted to introduce this new MT data despatch system for this you-beaut, elite system, they had to get their new network, their new booking system, approved, as anyone else would. We got a letter from Mr Bramston saying that he sees no need to seek approval. He is just not interested in playing the game. I will table that letter and I have another one. All the wheelchair accessible taxi drivers are fed up with this network.
MR SPEAKER: How does this relate to question time?
MR HARGREAVES: I was talking about the breaches by the drivers of wheelchair accessible cabs. The reason why they are going out and using their mobile phones is because they do not have confidence in the network. Another reason why they do not have confidence in the network is that, when some of the people have approached the network and asked, “What happens if we leave your network and go to another one; what will be the cost?” they have been told that the cost for them is going to be approximately $10,000 a car. These are heavy-handed tactics. No wonder the drivers are not having good relationships with Aerial. . I table the following papers:
MTData dispatch system—copy of letter to the General Manager Transport, Department of the Territory and Municipal Services, from the Chief Executive Officer, Aerial Consolidated Transport, dated 13 November 2006.
Indemnity agreements—copy of letter to ACT taxi plate owners from the Chief Executive Officer, Aerial Consolidated Transport, dated 14 November 2006.
MR SPEAKER: You should wind up. It is conventional for ministers to provide some additional information at the conclusion of question times but when it comes to long statements, it might be better for ministers to consider seeking leave to make some sort of ministerial statement.
Hospitals—bed occupancy rate
Hospitals—patient administration system
Canberra Hospital—methadone program
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Minister for health, Minister for Disability and Community Services and Minister for Women) (3.43): I have a couple of questions that I took on notice over the past two sitting weeks. On Thursday, 16 November 2006, Mrs Dunne asked me whether there had been any improvement in the bed occupancy rate at ACT public hospitals over the last four years. ACT public hospitals have
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .