Page 565 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 February 2010
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government is committed to creating a public health system that is the envy of the rest of Australia, if not the world. Of course, as a member of this government, indeed a member for Ginninderra, were such a significant investment to be made in the hospital in my electorate, I would be extremely happy.
In 2008, the government announced an ambitious program to provide the ACT with the health facilities needed to meet the challenge of health care in our future. The health minister has stood in this place a number of times and outlined this program to us. And I congratulate her on her foresight in developing that program. Known as your health—our priority, the program is the first stage of an estimated $1 billion-plus health system infrastructure program to revitalise and ready the ACT health system to be able to respond to the growing demand for services expected up to 2022 and beyond. As I said, one of the factors that we must face in this challenge is the factor of the ageing of our population and all that will bring.
In the 2008-09 budget the government committed $300 million as the first tranche of its investment into your health—our priority. Projects included in this first tranche range from the new women’s and children’s hospital, additional beds—of course replacing some of those beds removed by the Liberal Party—a suite of new mental health facilities and new and refurbished community health centres. New announcements in the 2009-10 budget totalling $148 million related to e-health, the Belconnen enhanced community health centre, the walk-in centre at the Canberra Hospital and the PET/CT scanner, and represent the government’s ongoing commitment to your health—our priority.
Included in this vision for future health services is a public hospital on the north side of Canberra, the subject of this debate. I hope that Ms Gallagher will continue to work with the Little Company of Mary Health Care to deliver on this vision, notwithstanding the difficulties that we have experienced to this point and notwithstanding the opposition that has been continually happening from those opposite—as I said, opposition for opposition’s sake.
Mr Hanson: Bingo!
Mr Smyth: But you haven’t made your case, Mary; make your case.
MS PORTER: To date, the government has committed $11.4 million for a new 16-bed critical care unit—not that those opposite want to listen to that. This unit will replace the current outdated facility and is on budget and on time for completion later this year.
Mr Hanson: That would be a first.
MS PORTER: But of course all they want to do is interject, and they do not really care about health facilities on either side of Canberra, whether it is north or south.
The planning undertaken by ACT Health indicates that further expansion of Calvary hospital is required to provide additional emergency department treatment rooms, more ambulatory care space, increased theatres, hospital beds and car parking, and the
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