Mr DUNHAM - 1998-08-13
I am aware of the immense effort that the Northern Territory government has put into renal dialysis over the last decade or so. I am aware also that the member for Arafura should be very knowledgeable about this important matter because his constituents are over represented among those Territorians who unfortunately suffer end stage renal failure. I am interested to know, therefore, whether the leaked documents that have been theatrically produced in this House over the last 2 days actually support the claims made by the opposition.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question because it gives me another opportunity to respond to some of the spurious questions that have been raised in the Assembly, particularly with the documents that have been tabled.
I make the observation that there is no doubt that Her Majesty’s loyal opposition has a duty to ask questions of the government and has a duty to question and ...
Mrs Hickey: Don’t patronise us.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: It has a duty to question and probe on behalf of taxpayers to ensure that taxpayers and voters receive value for their money. Personally, as one taxpayer in this House, I want my money back, certainly based on the questions that have been asked so far, it is quite bizarre and astounding.
First of all, a memo was tabled in this House. That was a memo from a clinical manager of one of our departments with concerns about issues that related to her particular unit, which was the renal dialysis unit. That memo was unsigned and was leaked from some computer but, all the same, that was a genuine observation by that clinical manager which was responded to and acted on almost immediately, apart from the normal tendering process by the department. That was also accompanied by something like a $3.3m increase in our budget to deal with new equipment and a range of renal dialysis services. That gained some sort of notoriety for one day, but in fact had no substance.
That was followed closely by the observation by the member for Arnhem that the closure of the Royal Darwin Hospital cafeteria 2 years ago resulted in a 20% fleeing of staff from the hospital because they could not get a subsidised 3-course lunch subsidised for $3.50 - a wide generalisation by any stretch of the imagination.
The gasp-horror document that was tabled yesterday is 10 years old. I did not believe this when I saw it. I could not believe that this document was 10 years old.
Mr Coulter: Maurice is being set up.
Mr BURKE: What is worse, it is a document from Royal North Shore Hospital to its legal advisers, referring to a death 20 years ago at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The document in effect says nothing. If anyone peruses it, it really says nothing of any substance - certainly nothing connected to any of the questions raised. When this document was written 10 years ago, I was a major in the United States, my 9-year-old son was not even born and, what is more pertinent, not one piece of equipment that is currently in our haemodialysis units in Darwin was purchased within 7 years of this document being written.
I have lived on the North Shore of Sydney. Anyone familiar with Royal North Shore Hospital knows that there is no relationship between its clientele and that of Royal Darwin Hospital. Some of these chardonnay-sipping socialists may have some vision for health service delivery in the future that sees Royal Darwin Hospital being some sort of a partner, in terms of its clientele, with Royal North Shore Hospital, I can give a firm undertaking that that will never be the case. Royal Darwin Hospital is an inclusive hospital. We cater for all Territorians.
Searching for a point in all of this charade, I will take up the comment that the member for Blain made. I believe the member for Arafura is being set up. He is one of the few over there who has not indicated his leadership ambitions. All the rest have. I believe ...
Mr Stirling: And how are you going, Denis? Have you talked to Peter Adamson yet? Don’t trust him. Don’t trust him when he tells you he is going to vote for you. He let Bazza down. Coulter should have been Chief Minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: If ever I aspire to those heights, I will learn how to get on a horse and not be shot, mate.
I seriously believe that the member for Arafura is being set up. Someone is worried about this particular individual. I strongly advise the member for Arafura to read documents that people hand him and not be conned into running someone else’s agenda.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question because it gives me another opportunity to respond to some of the spurious questions that have been raised in the Assembly, particularly with the documents that have been tabled.
I make the observation that there is no doubt that Her Majesty’s loyal opposition has a duty to ask questions of the government and has a duty to question and ...
Mrs Hickey: Don’t patronise us.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: It has a duty to question and probe on behalf of taxpayers to ensure that taxpayers and voters receive value for their money. Personally, as one taxpayer in this House, I want my money back, certainly based on the questions that have been asked so far, it is quite bizarre and astounding.
First of all, a memo was tabled in this House. That was a memo from a clinical manager of one of our departments with concerns about issues that related to her particular unit, which was the renal dialysis unit. That memo was unsigned and was leaked from some computer but, all the same, that was a genuine observation by that clinical manager which was responded to and acted on almost immediately, apart from the normal tendering process by the department. That was also accompanied by something like a $3.3m increase in our budget to deal with new equipment and a range of renal dialysis services. That gained some sort of notoriety for one day, but in fact had no substance.
That was followed closely by the observation by the member for Arnhem that the closure of the Royal Darwin Hospital cafeteria 2 years ago resulted in a 20% fleeing of staff from the hospital because they could not get a subsidised 3-course lunch subsidised for $3.50 - a wide generalisation by any stretch of the imagination.
The gasp-horror document that was tabled yesterday is 10 years old. I did not believe this when I saw it. I could not believe that this document was 10 years old.
Mr Coulter: Maurice is being set up.
Mr BURKE: What is worse, it is a document from Royal North Shore Hospital to its legal advisers, referring to a death 20 years ago at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The document in effect says nothing. If anyone peruses it, it really says nothing of any substance - certainly nothing connected to any of the questions raised. When this document was written 10 years ago, I was a major in the United States, my 9-year-old son was not even born and, what is more pertinent, not one piece of equipment that is currently in our haemodialysis units in Darwin was purchased within 7 years of this document being written.
I have lived on the North Shore of Sydney. Anyone familiar with Royal North Shore Hospital knows that there is no relationship between its clientele and that of Royal Darwin Hospital. Some of these chardonnay-sipping socialists may have some vision for health service delivery in the future that sees Royal Darwin Hospital being some sort of a partner, in terms of its clientele, with Royal North Shore Hospital, I can give a firm undertaking that that will never be the case. Royal Darwin Hospital is an inclusive hospital. We cater for all Territorians.
Searching for a point in all of this charade, I will take up the comment that the member for Blain made. I believe the member for Arafura is being set up. He is one of the few over there who has not indicated his leadership ambitions. All the rest have. I believe ...
Mr Stirling: And how are you going, Denis? Have you talked to Peter Adamson yet? Don’t trust him. Don’t trust him when he tells you he is going to vote for you. He let Bazza down. Coulter should have been Chief Minister.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: If ever I aspire to those heights, I will learn how to get on a horse and not be shot, mate.
I seriously believe that the member for Arafura is being set up. Someone is worried about this particular individual. I strongly advise the member for Arafura to read documents that people hand him and not be conned into running someone else’s agenda.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016