Page 1696 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 15 May 2019
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MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (12.03): I will speak to the amendment to the amendment to the motion. Some of what the minister just said in her response to this amendment worries the people who are listening. It needs to be made very clear that this group of people currently use 34 to 36 degree water consistently at the Canberra Hospital. They require this for their care. I do not care what an expert tells you. They are the people using it, and they want 34 to 36 degree water, which they have had access to up until now. There are not enough easily accessible current options that are at that temperature consistently.
It is good of the minister to note these concerns and to accept the amendment, but let it be clear that if the minister leaves here and creates a response to this group which does not include fair and reasonable access—enough access—to 34 to 36 degree water, then their needs will not have been met as well as they have been up until now.
It would be another great shame of this government if they took away access to something which improved people’s quality of life so much because the government has taken some expert’s advice that 31 degrees is enough. I make it clear that no temperature is acceptable to this group of people except 34 to 36 degrees.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (12.04): I have listened very carefully to the discussion. As I flagged in my earlier comments, I do not have expertise in what the right temperature is. I am concerned by what Mrs Jones just said. She actually said, and it is worth repeating it for the record, “I do not care what an expert says.”
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Cody): Mrs Jones, order, please!
MR RATTENBURY: This is actually symptomatic of how the conservative parties in this country approach issues. They do not care about science.
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Members!
MR RATTENBURY: They take the same approach to climate change. They are prepared to denigrate climate scientists.
Mrs Jones interjecting—
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mrs Jones, I have asked you several times. Please! Mr Rattenbury.
MR RATTENBURY: Mrs Jones was heard in silence. Mrs Jones got to have her say, and as soon as I said something she does not like the sound of, she starts shouting at me. She has a real issue with how she conducts herself in this place. We need to listen to the experts and we also need to consult with the community. These things come together. You cannot just dismiss what the medical people tell us as being the right
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