Page 3357 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 17 August 2010
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Mr Corbell: She can seek leave at any time.
Ms Gallagher: All right. I will do it at the end. It does not matter.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can seek leave, Ms Gallagher.
Ms Gallagher: I did seek leave, but if—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: If you are happy to do it afterwards, okay.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.53): What we have heard today in the debate is, firstly, that the rationale now for Calvary hospital has changed.
Ms Gallagher: No, it hasn’t.
MR SESELJA: It has; it has changed. We were told that it was about having the assets on the books, but now apparently it is about owning Calvary hospital; it is about a takeover of Calvary hospital; it has got nothing to do with the accounting standards because they were wrong.
This minister and this government made a $77 million bet with taxpayers’ money that they were right and everyone else was wrong. That was the bet they made. And, if they had been allowed to get away with it, it is a $77 million bet that the people of the ACT would have lost. They would have lost that $77 million bet.
There comes a point where, as an opposition and as an Assembly, we must say that enough is enough. We have outlined a list of failures that in any other jurisdiction would result in the loss of the minister. On every major indicator, on every major project, on every aspect of responsibility, this minister has failed. On protecting staff from bullying and bad management practices, she has failed. On competent economic management, she has failed. On providing even average levels of health outcome, she has failed, and on treating those in her department with respect, dignity and diligence, she has failed.
So what will the outcome be? We see, again, the Greens and the Labor Party endorsing this—endorsing the debacle that is Calvary, endorsing the damning report in relation to obstetrics. And it seems likely that, far from being disciplined, this minister will be given a promotion by Labor. This minister will be given a promotion. A minister that is not up to Health wants to be handed the job of Chief Minister on a platter.
We have to ask the question: if you cannot manage the health system, how can you manage the territory? The obstetrics review proves she cannot instil basic standards of management in her department. The Calvary process proves she cannot manage economic deals with diligence. The health outcomes prove she cannot deliver the fundamental services this portfolio requires. She cannot run the health department, she cannot run economic arguments, she cannot deliver basic health services. How can she run the territory?
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