Page 3486 - Week 11 - Thursday, 19 September 2013
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MS GALLAGHER: This is a long-term project for the ACT government. So there are a number of large parts of the health infrastructure program in the early development and planning stages. They include the University of Canberra public hospital. They also include the secure mental health unit, the walk-in centres at Tuggeranong and Belconnen, with the works on the construction of the walk-in centre at the Belconnen community health centre to be undertaken later this year. Construction of the walk-in centre within the Tuggeranong health centre will occur as part of the current construction program.
We have also got the work happening for the design of the Calvary car park, with the appropriation passing the Assembly in August this year. That will provide for the design of the 700 parking spaces in a structured car park over four or five levels, and construction is due to commence in late 2014. We also have a range of other projects, including in-patient unit design and infrastructure expansion and continuity of service-essential infrastructure, which is the work that underpins several of these major elements of the health infrastructure program.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, how has the Canberra community benefited from government’s investment in health infrastructure?
MS GALLAGHER: The overall aim of the health infrastructure program is that it improves the quality of care that is provided for people accessing healthcare services. It also ensures the efficient and effective delivery of healthcare services, which is why at the Belconnen community health centre, with the enhanced services offered there, people will be able to access services in a community-based setting that previously they have only been able to access in the hospital. It is not just building new buildings: it is looking at developing a new workforce; developing new ways of delivering care, and more efficient ways of delivering care; and also designing care and models of care that are focused on the needs of the patients.
This is, of course, all around our role in the region. We do not just look at what it means for the people of the ACT. We are also caring for and looking after patients from right around south-eastern New South Wales. That will continue. And we know from all the feedback we are getting—from people particularly using some of the new infrastructure, the new buildings and the new services that operate within there—that there is a lot of positive feedback around that.
Credit goes to the people in ACT Health and all the contractors and subcontractors that are helping deliver this very important program.
Roads—speed cameras
MR COE: My question is to the Attorney-General and it relates to point-to-point speed cameras. Attorney, apart from monitoring the average speed of vehicles travelling between point A and point B, what other uses are there of the point-to-point data?
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