Page 2810 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 September 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Why are our hospitals full and why do we wait longer than any other jurisdiction if we are paying more for services?
MS GALLAGHER: We do not wait longer than any other jurisdiction. Go to the MyHospitals website, Mr Hanson, and you will see that that is not the case. You will need to update that element of your question because it is simply not true. Go and look at a whole range of similar sized hospitals to Canberra and then come back and say that we wait longer here than anywhere else.
In terms of the costs, again, I would welcome the view of the Leader of the Opposition about whether providing cardiothoracic surgery is essential and whether providing neurosurgery at the microvascular level is essential.
Mr Doszpot interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: The argument here, Mr Doszpot—and I should not digress—is about too much money spent in the health system. This is the argument. I do not know whether you were updated in the party room that that was going to be the argument. Not everything goes back to capital metro, Mr Doszpot. This argument is about the costs currently paid in the hospital, and I am arguing that if the opposition has concerns then it is going to have to look at the level of service that is provided here. Sure, we can bring our costs right back down, but that will mean that people will need to travel to the major centres for treatment. That is certainly something that can be done, and I will be interested to hear whether that is going to be a position of the Canberra Liberals.
DR BOURKE: Minister, will the new after-hours home GP service have an effect upon this issue?
MS GALLAGHER: The home doctor service has been operating now for just a month. In fact, we were in contact with them just recently—in fact, earlier today—and they have been inundated with demand for their service to a much greater degree than was predicted. What we are seeing at the moment is a busy Canberra Hospital and a busy Calvary Hospital. The two walk-in centres are both busy. Tuggeranong walk-in centre is seeing more than 70 patients a day. GPs are busy and the home doctor visiting service is busy. Whether the new services are generating demand, they are certainly not easing demand from the public hospital system at this point in time.
Transport—light rail
MR COE: My question is for the Minister for Capital Metro. Minister, why aren’t you releasing the full business case if it has been completed by the consultants and approved by cabinet?
MR CORBELL: For the reasons I outlined yesterday.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe.
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