Page 1819 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: Maybe I am wrong, Mr Smyth. Maybe it is because of all the interjections that I cannot actually hear the question that is being asked. But the issue that Mr Smyth raises is not the same. It is not the same issue as the issue that has been raised about the emergency department. They are entirely different. The Assembly had a view about what should go into a foreword. I did not agree, but I have resisted the temptation to put a release out since that time.
MR SMYTH: Supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, will you apologise to the Assembly and to the community for breaching the motion calling for you to be more honest in the reporting of public health services?
MS GALLAGHER: I have always been honest with the information that has been provided to me and I will be honest about any corrections that need to be made.
MR HANSON: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, given that revised emergency department waiting times are now likely to be longer than was reported in March 2011, will you now be honest about access to health care in the ACT?
MS GALLAGHER: As we know from the report that the AHIW delivered earlier this week, access to health care is second only, I think, to the Northern Territory—that is, almost one-third of Canberrans visit the public hospital system here in the ACT. That is extraordinary. Compare that. It might actually explain some of the pressure the hospital is under—272 per 1,000, which is, I think, 20 more than the national average. When you look at overnight separations, again the ACT is second to the Northern Territory. If you want to talk access to public health care, which I think was your question, access to public health care is second to none in the territory. Yes, there will be occasions when we want that access to be faster, but what we can be assured of is that those who are most urgent, those who need care the most—
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Hargreaves interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, thank you.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video