Ms MARTIN - 1999-02-17
Darwin Private Hospital provides proof that private operators have failed to deliver a reliable emergency service to Territorians. Can the minister explain why he wants to risk private operators taking over the emergency department of our hospitals?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, Darwin Private Hospital is but one private hospital. I could allege that all Labor Opposition leaders fail - because your predecessors did. It is no good pulling one example up and citing it to be a general case.
I am disappointed in the new Leader of the Opposition. This is a person who has been trained in the use of words, and she has the benefit of a tertiary education …
Ms MARTIN: A point of Order, Mr Speaker! I have asked the minister a question …
Mr SPEAKER: I don’t believe there is a point of order. We will allow the minister some leniency in getting the answer to the question out.
Mr DUNHAM: She is a journalist trained to investigate matters and elucidate fact and truth. Unfortunately, she worked at the ABC, which is good training to criticise government, and entering the ALP, but it is really not …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I would ask the minister to get on with the answer to the question, please.
Mr Stirling: The answer must be relevant.
Mr DUNHAM: It is relevant because in her statement yesterday the Leader of the Opposition talked about restoring confidence in public hospitals. She went on in the same statement to talk about surrendering to private enterprise when the going gets tough – not true. She said that the idea that private enterprise is inherently more efficient than public is simply ideological garbage – not true. This has never been put by the previous health minister and it is not being put by me. She said that Labor remains absolutely committed to a publicly funded health care system where all Territorians are guaranteed access to the health care they need - that may well be true, but it also coincides with our belief.
She said in her statement that Territorians are entitled to access to health care based on medical need, not on ability to pay. If the Leader of the Opposition had listened during the last sittings to the health minister, she would have been very aware that we are not talking about privatising our public hospitals, which is what she said here. I am aware that parliament prohibits me from alleging that she lied, but nonetheless what she said in her statement yesterday is tantamount to calling the previous minister a liar. I would suggest that if she wants to restore confidence in public hospitals, she start by telling the truth.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker!The answer has to be relevant. I put a specific question to the minister. I know he is a new minister, but I did have a specific question about the existing private operators being able to run an emergency service. Now we are looking at a private operator taking over our public emergency service.What confidence can we have ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is some capacity for the minister to explain the situation as he sees it. I would ask him, though, to get to the core of the answer as quickly as possible.
Mr DUNHAM: The point I am trying to make is that if the new Leader of the Opposition is genuine about her desire to reform the health system, she should look further than just the Darwin Private Hospital. I can give her a couple of pointers. Perhaps she could go to the Deputy Premier of New South Wales, Dr Refshauge, a person of her own political persuasion, and she could talk to him about private hospitals in New South Wales. It might be a good idea for her to take some bearings from people whose advice she might feel more confident in. She might like to go to Keith Wilson, the former WA health minister, a very honest man who also happens to be on the board of St. John of God Hospital in Subiaco. He is a man who might be able to provide some information beyond what she reads in the NT News about the Darwin Private Hospital.
It is absolutely critical that Territorians realise there is a clear distinction between the philosophies of the two parties on this issue. The only option the previous minister ruled out was the option of the status quo. The only option that Labor wants is to stay with the system that is here. I do not think Territorians are well served by the current system, and I suggest that the Leader of the Opposition come up to speed on it.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, Darwin Private Hospital is but one private hospital. I could allege that all Labor Opposition leaders fail - because your predecessors did. It is no good pulling one example up and citing it to be a general case.
I am disappointed in the new Leader of the Opposition. This is a person who has been trained in the use of words, and she has the benefit of a tertiary education …
Ms MARTIN: A point of Order, Mr Speaker! I have asked the minister a question …
Mr SPEAKER: I don’t believe there is a point of order. We will allow the minister some leniency in getting the answer to the question out.
Mr DUNHAM: She is a journalist trained to investigate matters and elucidate fact and truth. Unfortunately, she worked at the ABC, which is good training to criticise government, and entering the ALP, but it is really not …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I would ask the minister to get on with the answer to the question, please.
Mr Stirling: The answer must be relevant.
Mr DUNHAM: It is relevant because in her statement yesterday the Leader of the Opposition talked about restoring confidence in public hospitals. She went on in the same statement to talk about surrendering to private enterprise when the going gets tough – not true. She said that the idea that private enterprise is inherently more efficient than public is simply ideological garbage – not true. This has never been put by the previous health minister and it is not being put by me. She said that Labor remains absolutely committed to a publicly funded health care system where all Territorians are guaranteed access to the health care they need - that may well be true, but it also coincides with our belief.
She said in her statement that Territorians are entitled to access to health care based on medical need, not on ability to pay. If the Leader of the Opposition had listened during the last sittings to the health minister, she would have been very aware that we are not talking about privatising our public hospitals, which is what she said here. I am aware that parliament prohibits me from alleging that she lied, but nonetheless what she said in her statement yesterday is tantamount to calling the previous minister a liar. I would suggest that if she wants to restore confidence in public hospitals, she start by telling the truth.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker!The answer has to be relevant. I put a specific question to the minister. I know he is a new minister, but I did have a specific question about the existing private operators being able to run an emergency service. Now we are looking at a private operator taking over our public emergency service.What confidence can we have ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is some capacity for the minister to explain the situation as he sees it. I would ask him, though, to get to the core of the answer as quickly as possible.
Mr DUNHAM: The point I am trying to make is that if the new Leader of the Opposition is genuine about her desire to reform the health system, she should look further than just the Darwin Private Hospital. I can give her a couple of pointers. Perhaps she could go to the Deputy Premier of New South Wales, Dr Refshauge, a person of her own political persuasion, and she could talk to him about private hospitals in New South Wales. It might be a good idea for her to take some bearings from people whose advice she might feel more confident in. She might like to go to Keith Wilson, the former WA health minister, a very honest man who also happens to be on the board of St. John of God Hospital in Subiaco. He is a man who might be able to provide some information beyond what she reads in the NT News about the Darwin Private Hospital.
It is absolutely critical that Territorians realise there is a clear distinction between the philosophies of the two parties on this issue. The only option the previous minister ruled out was the option of the status quo. The only option that Labor wants is to stay with the system that is here. I do not think Territorians are well served by the current system, and I suggest that the Leader of the Opposition come up to speed on it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016