Page 5204 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 18 November 2009
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opportunity? We will wait and see. I am somewhat doubtful, because, as I have already outlined, their motion today is an exercise in political spin.
When it comes down to it, the Canberra community needs to know that the Greens and Labor are thick as thieves on this one. They have a deal stitched up and the Greens will be supporting the appropriation bill. If anybody doubts that, then why do you not stand up in this place and say that that is not true, that you support my amendment and you will vote against this deal? Otherwise, your motion will be seen for what it is, which is a crock.
My amendment notes that the government’s proposal to purchase Calvary hospital and sell Clare Holland House—remember that bit, sell Clare Holland House—has followed very poor public process. We know that, from the secret deal before the election through to the mock consultation period—and Mr Smyth outlined how shoddy that really has been—this has been an appalling public process. The Greens have supported it. Where is the objection to the process from the Greens? I do not see any of it. It will provide no health benefit to the ACT, and Ms Gallagher has said this herself. Remember, “It will have no impact, you fool.” Remember those words? “No impact.”
Ms Gallagher: On health services.
MR HANSON: Correct. “It will have no impact on health services.” Thank you very much for clarifying that issue for us. It will have no impact on health services in the ACT. Thank you, Ms Gallagher. This will cost the taxpayers in excess of $160 million over 20 years in cold, hard cash. That is taxes that will need to be raised. It will result in the loss of Clare Holland House as a publicly owned hospice.
My amendment calls on the government to immediately cease negotiations on the purchase of Calvary hospital and the sale of Clare Holland House. It calls on the Minister for Health to outline options to deliver improved hospital services in the north of Canberra. The government have been talking for years about the capital asset development plan, how their billion dollars of infrastructure savings is going to make the difference. But it certainly appears that the only plan that they have ever had, that they have ever countenanced, that they have ever been developing is that of purchasing Calvary hospital. Because when you ask them, “Where is your other plan?” and say, “Present your business case around the other plans; show us the cost-benefit analysis; show us where you have developed a series of options,” there is a stunned silence. We know that they have only had one plan. They have only had one agenda since Mr Corbell was the minister—that is, to get their hands on this hospital. That is all they have got. If you take that out of the locker, it is an empty locker. They have nothing.
This is a proposal that should be stopped. My amendment gives the Greens the opportunity to do so, to demonstrate that they are legitimate in their concerns about Clare Holland House. Will they sell out on the community that raised so many concerns? Will they sell out in their desire to see Calvary transferred to the government? Are they prepared to sell out on the rest of the people of Canberra? It would appear that that will be the case.
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