Page 4624 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 27 November 2019
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Canberra Hospital master plan. But those traffic issues are existing issues in the community.
I went for a walk around the area with Garran Primary School board members. Also, as you are probably aware, Madam Speaker, and as I said in question time yesterday, last week I opened an expression of interest for a local community reference group for the SPIRE project. I encourage Garran residents who are interested in being part of the detailed design of the SPIRE project to put forward an expression of interest to be part of that group, to be part of the conversation about how we build this new critical care, emergency and surgical facility, which is the biggest investment in health infrastructure since self-government. It is about how we get this right for clinicians, consumers and the local community, who we are already listening to in relation to their concerns. We are already working on some of the issues that have been identified. As I have said to them, and as I have said repeatedly in this place, I do not believe that this project will present any additional safety risk to the residents of Garran, and certainly not to the students of Garran Primary School.
MR WALL: Minister, how many major security incidents have there been at the Canberra Hospital emergency department over the past three years?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Wall for the supplementary question. I will take it on notice.
ACT Health—SPIRE project
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Health. What is the point in community consultation by the government on the location and operations of SPIRE after the government has already decided on SPIRE’s location and operations?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Ms Lee for the question. It is becoming more and more obvious that those opposite are trying to find any way they can to delay the SPIRE project, the biggest investment in new health infrastructure since self-government and a critical expansion of capacity at Canberra Hospital that will deliver expanded surgical—
Mrs Jones: A point of order, Madam Speaker. The question was about consultation by the government happening after the decision on SPIRE’s location had already been taken. The minister has not addressed that at all yet.
MADAM SPEAKER: Your point of order was raised 20 seconds in to the answer, so the minister has plenty of time left.
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I have said repeatedly in this place, we are at concept stage of the design of the SPIRE project at this time. Other parties in this place previously chose a location for a redevelopment of the Canberra Hospital in 2016. We are in the early stages of detailed design of this project and we will continue to consult with the community and continue to do that work in collaboration with the community while those opposite do everything they can to delay and to obfuscate.
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