Page 941 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Whilst we can imagine that—or we might even struggle to imagine that—there are thousands of honourable people in our health network who are living with this every single day. We thank them for that sacrifice. We thank them for the enormous commitment they show to Canberra every day because to be a doctor, a nurse or a clinician is a calling. To deal with trauma on a daily basis is something that I think very few people could deal with. But thousands of people in Canberra voluntarily take this up, and we need to thank them for it.
We do not just need to thank them; we need to empower them. We need to make it as easy as possible for them to continue their service to Canberra. It is a tragedy when we hear of doctors, nurses or other staff leaving the ACT or leaving the profession because they were not given the resources they needed by this government.
I thank Mrs Dunne for all that she has done to raise the plight of doctors, nurses, clinicians, staff, administrators and patients. Had it not been for her advocacy, the interim report and final report would never have happened. And I thank all of those people who gave feedback. I thank those brave people who, despite having doubts about confidentiality, despite having concerns about whether anything would happen, still had the courage to go through with it.
Now that that process has been completed, the ball is wholly in the minister’s court. She has the information. She has the diagnosis. She now has to provide the treatment. I very much hope, for the sake of Canberra, that she actually delivers on what is required.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (11.22): I rise to speak against the no confidence motion, to speak in support of Minister Fitzharris, and to endorse her comments in response to this motion.
There is no doubt that our health system is growing, to cater for a growing city. We are building hospitals to deliver nation-leading rehabilitation and maternity care. We are establishing walk-in centres right across the city so that people can get the care they need where and when they need it.
Minister Fitzharris is taking innovative action to improve bulk-billing by funding expansions of bulk-billing-providing GP clinics on the south side of our city. The government, through the minister’s hard work, is getting on with the job of ensuring top-quality care for the community and providing a good working environment for our dedicated healthcare professionals. This is what the Canberra community expects.
As we have heard about and debated in this place on numerous occasions, changing cultural practices in pockets of a large organisation is a difficult task and it does take time. The minister has been unrelenting in her determination to make our health system the best possible care and treatment environment, and the best possible place to work.
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