Page 934 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Since the forced publication of the AECOM report we have seen a litany of other issues, which my colleagues will dwell upon, but, briefly: the serious water leaks in the birthing suites and the cost of repairs reaching millions of dollars; the serious problems in the bathroom in the paediatric wards which have left parts of that ward closed since 3 August until 17 December and counting; the serious issues the government cannot work out about the warranty; the non-compliant cladding which has cost millions to repair; and the on again, off again, on the never-never, now it’s here, now it’s there SPIRE project. We all know that was written on the back of a beer coaster in the heat of an election because the ALP was bleeding votes.
The 2016 election commitment was that SPIRE was planned to be opened in 2022-23, which was prior to any feasibility planning and early design work being undertaken. We now know that the government has set the target completion date as 2023-24. But this minister cannot build a tram on time or duplicate a road through the middle of her own electorate on time.
In early February in response to the interim Reid report Minister Fitzharris admitted that heads might have to roll. As I said at the outset, the Canberra Times editorial writer picked up on this theme and publicly and in an unprecedented manner called on the minister to embrace the tenets of the Westminster doctrine of ministerial accountability.
This is the minister who has overseen the decline of our hospital infrastructure and who has steadfastly told us that everything was okay. This is the minister who has overseen the decline in culture and steadfastly said it was okay. It is now time for this minister to take responsibility under the Westminster system and resign because of what has happened on her watch. (Time expired.)
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Medical and Health Research, Minister for Transport and Minister for Vocational Education and Skills) (10.57): I am pleased this morning to speak on the government’s record in health and my record as minister.
Health is a vital portfolio. It is large, it is important, and it is complex. It is the ACT government’s highest priority and our biggest budgetary commitment. We have made record investments in the ACT public health system and every Canberran knows we will continue to do so.
We have a strong track record in health. Since becoming minister, I have been clear that I want to expand access to services, focusing on a genuinely territory-wide approach so we can expand access to more Canberrans, whether that is in hospital, in the community, or in the home. I have been clear that we will build the infrastructure of the future, the infrastructure our city needs. And I have been clear that we must improve relationships with our key partners in delivering health care, in particular with Calvary Public Hospital and with our two universities that train the health workforce of the future.
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