Page 2461 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 13 August 2014
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Fifteen beds will also be opened at Calvary public hospital. These will be going essentially to meet demand due to increases in the elective surgery work that Calvary hospital is doing. There is also extra money to support Calvary public hospital to meet its growing demand for birthing services on the north side. A further six-bed equivalent will be provided through hospital in the home, which again is a very popular program for patients.
As at the end of the 2013-14 financial year, the government has funded capacity for over 1,000 beds within the ACT public hospitals, which is an extra 360 beds on the beds that were available in 2001-02, when we were first elected to government, meaning a 53 per cent increase over 12 years.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, why is bed occupancy dangerously high at TCH according to the AMA and other peak health organisations?
MS GALLAGHER: Because demand for acute hospital services continues to grow; as soon as we open beds, they tend to fill, Mr Hanson. That is why you will see year after year increased effort going into opening new beds. The hospital at the moment is extremely busy and we are looking forward to those extra beds being opened in September, which will take some of the pressure off the winter impact that we are seeing at the moment.
ACTTAB Ltd—sale
MR SMYTH: My question is for the Treasurer. Treasurer, when will the sale of ACTTAB be finalised?
MR BARR: In the coming months.
MR SMYTH: Treasurer, what are the components of the sale that realised the value of $105 million from the sale of ACTTAB?
MR BARR: Those matters are still commercial in confidence.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Treasurer, did the government consider the implementation of a tax with a long-term revenue stream as other jurisdictions have rather than an up-front one-off payment?
MR BARR: Tabcorp will be making an ongoing licence fee payment and taxation arrangements for Tabcorp will be exactly the same as taxation arrangements for ACTTAB.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
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