Page 778 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
These are excellent results. You cannot not acknowledge that there are excellent things being done across the health system, despite the pressure that it is under from increased demand for services and trying to work within a budget. When we look at our costs, again—and I think the Chief Minister will go to this—our costs are coming down and continue to come down. When you look at the data, despite an increase in activity, which is heading higher than anyone could ever forecast, we are bringing the costs down. It is a more efficient and more streamlined service, delivering more services than ever before, and it has never been cheaper to run.
When you look at the overall sustainability of the health system into the future, there is simply no way that we would have been able to afford the level of service that we are providing now if we had maintained the level of cost that we were paying for. This is despite the public health system being under additional stress because of our low GP numbers. And this is a position I have put to the federal government a number of times.
Mr Hanson barks on about GPs all the time. I would ask him: what representation has he made to the commonwealth? What single thing has he done to lobby—
Mr Hanson: I did institute the inquiry, remember?
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Mr Hanson, please! You have been very good so far.
MS GALLAGHER: You did not, Mr Hanson. What single thing, as a local member for Molonglo, a person in this place, the shadow health spokesperson who gets on any media opportunity he can to blame me for the GP shortage, has he done? Has he even—
Mr Hanson: I moved a motion for the inquiry, the health committee inquiry.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, self-control, please!
MS GALLAGHER: Has the lazy shadow minister even picked up a pen? You do not even have to pick up a pen anymore. Has he put something on Facebook? Has he sent an email to Nicola Roxon? Has he done one single thing?
Mr Hanson: Yes, I have.
MS GALLAGHER: And the answer would be no.
Mr Hanson: That is not true.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, no conversation, please.
MS GALLAGHER: I concede that one politically motivated motion was moved in this place by Mr Hanson around GPs.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video