Page 1098 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 28 March 2017
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MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (10.13): I thank the minister for bringing forward these terms of reference today, but note that this inquiry was announced more than a month ago, and we have just had the terms of reference. At the same time the government has seen fit to appoint an inquirer. Without reflecting on the inquirer, I do wish to raise my concerns that the government has not gone to open tender on providing an inquirer, and that it seems that the government has taken the line of least resistance in sourcing an inquirer.
The history of the creation of a data warehouse in ACT Health is a long and, unfortunately, badly chequered one, if the information that I receive from people about the subject is correct. It is an area that is quite deficient, and has been for some time. While I welcome any improvement to the data, and I welcome a root and branch inquiry, we need to put it in the context that this has been an issue for ACT Health, as far as we know, since 2009, that the interventions in relation to health data over that period have not resulted in better outcomes and that there are other aspects of this which will be further explored.
As the minister knows, I shall be quite diligent in holding her accountable on these issues and ensuring that we do get the outcome that we need. I will be consulting widely with the health sector on their concerns in relation to this data. This is, admittedly, a work in progress, but I flag that the government seems to be making it up as it goes along. It has appointed an inquirer without a public tender, it has announced the inquiry and, a month later, has come up with the terms of reference. I think that is not the way that we should be going about a root and branch inquiry.
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health, Minister for Transport and City Services and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research) (10.16), in reply: In closing, I note Mrs Dunne’s comments. I reiterate—perhaps she missed it—that there is a panel appointed of both internal ACT senior officials, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Funding Body and a senior executive member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to oversee this extensive review.
I welcome her comments and ongoing interest, and I look forward to working with her and all members of this place, and reporting back regularly to the Assembly on the progress of the review.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Restoration of the lower Cotter catchment
Ministerial statement
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Urban Renewal) (10.17): I am pleased to table a progress report detailing the works undertaken by government to date in addressing the recommendations outlined in the Auditor-General’s report No 3 of 2015 Restoration of the lower Cotter catchment. In doing so, I note that this progress
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