Page 5205 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 18 November 2009
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I say again to Ms Bresnan: you asked me in July, “Do the Liberal Party actually support this purchase?” Do we actually have a plan? Do we have a position on this? Yes, we do.
Ms Gallagher: Do you have a plan?
MR HANSON: Yes, we do.
Ms Gallagher: What is your plan B?
MR HANSON: I will tell you my plan B.
Ms Gallagher: None!
MR HANSON: Have you read my amendment? I call on you to present all the analysis that the government have done before they decide to present—
Ms Gallagher: No, no, I’m talking about your plan B.
MR HANSON: Let me give you a definitive answer: show some respect to the community. I will tell what we will do. We will continue on to provide health services to the north of Canberra, to the people of Canberra, and we do not need to purchase the hospital that is already providing public hospital services and we do not need to sell Clare Holland House in order to do that. I encourage members of the Assembly to support the amendment, and I suggest that the Greens start showing some respect to their constituents and stand up for them rather than just falling in line with the government again.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (3.20): The government will not be supporting this amendment, which I do not think will come as any surprise to any member in this place. We do not agree with paragraph (1), and we will not cease the negotiations that are currently underway. The Assembly will actually have the final say on that if and when the government brings forward an appropriation bill. But Mr Hanson simply seems to not understand the magnitude of the challenges facing the ACT and the ACT budget if the current arrangements continue. This is the issue that I just cannot understand Mr Smyth not having a view on as the shadow treasury spokesperson.
I cannot believe that the shadow treasurer would agree that the status quo—that is, essentially gifting $200 million from our operating result onto the balance sheet of a third party—is the way to finance a new hospital for the north side of Canberra. That we should finance it, but not own it—I cannot believe that that sits with the economic beliefs, policies or views of the shadow treasurer. I will be very interested to hear him elaborate on how he believes this financial transaction should be managed in the future if the proposal does not go ahead.
I know the opposition loves to quote eminent professors who have been trained at Harvard—I think Dr Dwyer might have a Harvard background—as the gospel in
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