Page 70 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 27 November 2012
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MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Gentleman for the question. The benefits that will be delivered through the infrastructure plan that we have put in place are real, making sure that we have the best hospitals, the best health services that we can, out in local communities.
Mr Seselja: The best hospitals!
Mr Hanson: They are going well!
MS GALLAGHER: It is going very well. I know it is unparliamentary to respond to interjections but Mr Seselja continues to talk down the health system while we are trying to build it up and make sure that it is the best it can be. We will continue that work.
If we also look at the area of education in terms of building up capacity in our research and educational institutions, there are the partnerships we have created with the University of Canberra, the partnerships we would like to continue and grow with the ANU, as big employers and contributors to our local economy, and of course our role at the heart of region. We know that 25,000 people from outside the ACT come to Canberra to work every day. We provide a lot of services to New South Wales residents. That comes with challenges but it also comes with benefits to this city, meaning that we can provide a higher level of care than other cities of similar size when it comes to, particularly, the area of health.
But there are also opportunities, I think, around some of the normal, general business of government that councils around the ACT deliver, that we deliver and I think there are great opportunities both for savings and improvements to services if we look at how we provide those from a regional perspective.
These will be the key areas of focus for me as Chief Minister. I know there is a focus of every minister in the government and the government as a whole, and I look forward to delivering on them over the next four years.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what changes will be required within the ACT public service to support these changes?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Ms Porter for the question. There are always ways to improve administrations. I think we are very well served by the ACT public service in this town but we will continue to implement the one government model of public service. It sounds easy on paper. It is harder to deliver in practice. But that work is well underway.
We also make sure that the ACT public service is very aware of what the government’s priorities are and what we expect to be delivered over the next four years. Some of the work that the Treasurer is leading is seeking to reduce red tape and, I think, trying to create a culture where ideas and collaborative thinking are
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