Page 2272 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 22 June 2011
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I know that ministers strive to do their best, and I think we have come, as I said, a long way from the days when we took over and I walked in the doors at Quamby. What a disgrace. It was a disgrace that was made on your watch, Mr Smyth. Look at where we are now. I think a young person actually passed away in Quamby. The place was appalling. The supports and systems were not there, and we have been building it up ever since. Bimberi has a bit of a way to go—we accept that—but we have come a long way.
MR SPEAKER: Another supplementary, Mr Seselja?
MR SESELJA: Minister, what instructions have you given Minister Burch to fix the serious problems at Bimberi?
MS GALLAGHER: I have not given any instructions, so to speak. Minister Burch and I have a respectful relationship where we discuss matters of importance in portfolios. So Minister Burch has talked with me about challenges in her portfolio, not just in care and detention but in a whole range of areas.
What we do on this side, unlike on that side where Mr Doyle obviously calls the shots, is work collaboratively, we work to support each other and we work together to solve problems. That does not mean that I have to sit down and issue instructions to anybody. It means that we work together as a team to deliver services to the people of Canberra.
Mr Seselja: Maybe you need to. Have you seen how your ministers are performing?
MS GALLAGHER: Mr Seselja, thanks very much but I do not really think I need to take any advice from you on how to lead a team.
MR SPEAKER: Just before we continue, Chief Minister, I remind you that it is not the practice of this place to name members of staff in the chamber.
Hospitals—elective surgery
MR DOSZPOT: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Health. In the Assembly yesterday, in response to a question without notice regarding elective surgery, you stated:
… the target to focus on for how good your elective surgery system is performing needs to be how many people are having their surgery on time …
Minister, the latest health quarterly report shows that the waiting time for category 3 patients increased by 43 days in comparison to the same period last year. If patients receiving surgery within clinically approved times is the most important measure, have you failed category 3 patients?
MS GALLAGHER: I was very clear yesterday around the challenges and the targets that we have set as a government on improving access to elective surgery, and I think
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