Page 2350 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 2 August 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
It must, of course, be acknowledged that in January 2016 the government began scoping work for a new electrical switchboard in building 2. But it was not until April 2017, some 15 months later, in fact, and two days after the switchboard fire, that the contract for replacement of the switchboard, amongst other infrastructure works including the switchboard in building 12, was signed. The new switchboard for building 2 to replace the one that caught fire is slated for completion by June 2018, in fact, 18 months after the recommended time in the AECOM report: so much for doing it in 2016.
This kind of inaction is a hallmark of this government. It is the kind of inaction that resulted in the fire that perhaps could have been mitigated and an associated emergency that perhaps could have been avoided. This government has been willing to hide these dangers from the people of Canberra. Thankfully, the independent arbiter did not see that it was a suitable course for the government to take and the AECOM report was made available to members of the Assembly in the interregnum between sitting periods and was eventually tabled and published yesterday. It is why I am bringing this matter to the Assembly at the earliest possible time after the publication of the report.
What we have seen is the somewhat lacklustre performance of the minister over many weeks, possibly months, in relation to much of her portfolio. And it continues in this area as well. The Minister for Health and Wellbeing seems to be becoming the minister for plausible deniability. We have heard along the way since she has become the health minister that she did not know about and was not briefed on issues relating to data; she did not know about and was not briefed on—but I think the Minister for Mental Health finally admitted that they collectively had dropped the ball in relation to this—the opiate replacement guidelines; she did not know about and was not briefed on the five-year late report on bariatric surgery; she did not know yesterday about equipment which had been sitting idle at the Canberra Hospital for five years waiting for installation, to improve food handling in the hospital. And we could do with improved food in the hospital.
On radio this morning the minister said—and I think that she needs the opportunity to set the record straight—that she did not see the AECOM report until a couple of months ago. But we know, because this information was circulated to all members by the Clerk after the appointment of the independent legal arbiter—and this is information provided by the Chief Minister—that this report was finalised in February 2016 along with another report, the sustaining ACT assets business case, known as the business case, which was finalised also in February 2016, was brought to cabinet on 4 April 2016.
This minister was not the health minister, she was only the assistant health minister back in those days, but she was a member of cabinet and I am presuming that the cabinet discussions on 4 April 2016 were in relation to appropriations for the hospital. But the minister said on radio, without a pause, that the first time she had seen this report was a couple of months ago.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video