Page 4341 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019
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Miss C Burch: Madam Speaker, I withdraw.
MADAM SPEAKER: With that, we will move to questions without notice.
Questions without notice
Canberra Hospital—SPIRE project
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, why has the government made the decision on the location of SPIRE 2 before the Canberra Hospital master plan has been completed?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Coe for the question. I am always happy to talk about the SPIRE project, the biggest investment in health infrastructure since the establishment of the ACT government, a project that will deliver additional operating theatres, additional emergency spaces and additional ICU spaces, including additional paediatrics.
As I stated in a letter I wrote to the Garran residents association, the president of Garran Primary School and Woden Community Council yesterday, the site decision was made following extensive consultation with clinicians, and the decision was also made in the context of the space available on the campus for the new facility and the need for it to connect with other buildings on the site. As Mr Coe has indicated, we are also in the process of developing a Canberra Hospital master plan, which will take account of this decision, but this decision was based on very significant consultation and technical work to understand the best location for the SPIRE project on the site.
We know that the Canberra Liberals do not support the establishment of walk-in centres. It appears that they are doing their best to now oppose and delay the SPIRE project, a very important project for delivering health care to Canberrans and the people of southern New South Wales.
MR COE: Minister, when will the Canberra Hospital master plan be completed, or will this be delayed again just like your SPIRE project?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Coe for the supplementary. I think I have probably responded to this before in terms of exact dates, but I am expecting the master plan to be completed in the next few months, and it will, of course, take into account the impact of the SPIRE project. This is a very critical project for the Canberra Hospital, and the people of the ACT and the surrounding region, delivering expanded emergency department capability and new operating theatres—
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: a 40,000 square metre state-of-the-art health facility to serve the people of the ACT and the surrounding region. It is a very exciting project.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
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