Page 2136 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 5 June 2019

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

(b) a Strategic Assets Management Plan for health infrastructure completed in February 2018 identified that critical assets are nearing the end of their useful life;

(d) the Calvary Network Agreement recognises that there needs to be major capital investment in the buildings at Calvary Hospital;

(e) a report from September 2018 identified that approximately 61 percent of the buildings at Calvary are reaching the end of their useful life;

(f) planning needs to be done for a northside hospital project strategic business case;

(g) the funding envelope of the Building Health Services Project is approximately $900 million; and

(h) an investment of at least $109 million is needed to keep buildings at Calvary Public Hospital going; and

(2) calls on the Minister for Health and Wellbeing to report to the Legislative Assembly, by the first sitting day in August 2019, on:

(a) any strategic asset management plans underway or recently undertaken;

(b) planning for the renewal of ageing health infrastructure; and

This is a very important motion because it seeks to create some clarity and some certainty about the development and maintenance of health infrastructure, which has been one of the most important issues facing the territory in its history. Health infrastructure has played an important part in the 114-year history of the ACT. The Royal Canberra Hospital opened in 1914, just one year after the ACT came into existence, on its site in Acton. It was one of the first buildings developed in the new national capital.

As Canberra grew, the federal Liberal government decided to build a new hospital on the south side, and work started on the Woden Valley Hospital 50 years ago. It opened in 1973. Calvary Hospital opened in 1979. The commonwealth government opened a range of community health facilities as Canberra grew, with many facilities dating from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The fledgling ACT government faced a difficult decision about the Royal Canberra Hospital. It was approaching its use-by date and was increasingly difficult to maintain. The alliance government decided to close the Royal Canberra Hospital and upgrade Woden Valley Hospital. The south side hospital was renamed the Canberra Hospital and the infrastructure was upgraded. Calvary Public Hospital became the hospital serving the north of Canberra.

In 2008 the then health minister, Katy Gallagher, warned of a “health tsunami”, with the government planning to spend $700 million over the next 10 years on capital works. Last week I went to hear former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope speak on the

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video