Ms WALKER - 2015-04-29
Last year, on 7 May, your predecessor, the member for Araluen, issued a media release announcing a multimillion refurbishment of the Royal Darwin Hospital’s paediatric ward as part of Budget 2014-15. To date this work has not been done, with $8.9m to:
revoted from 2014-15 in this year’s budget.
Given your failure to deliver these much-needed upgrades, along with your cuts to Territory-wide primary healthcare in yesterday’s budget, why should Territorians have any faith in your government when it comes to delivering quality healthcare for Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to be close enough to see the fear in their eyes.
It appears that the members opposite think the moment you issue a media release, all of a sudden, magically, a new paediatric ward appears out of the ether. The Labor Party does not design paediatric wards …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I ask the minister to direct his comments through the Chair.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. His comments were through the Chair.
Mr ELFERINK: We go through a design process, plan and make sure the right people are consulted. This opposition, which says it believes in consultation, would have us not consult. Then they come into this place and their response to this issue is to say, ‘Do not consult, you have to do this immediately’. Well we do things through a planning process.
I have not heard them condemn the Senator for the Northern Territory from the Australian Labor Party who called our hospital system the worst in the country – not a single word from any of them, including the shadow minister for Health, in defence of the hard-working …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question regarding the progress of the paediatric ward.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the embarrassment of the Labor Party. Will they condemn Nova Peris for her disgraceful comments? No, they will not.
The defender of the public service? My eye. They believe in using public servants as weapons and tools of politics. We have seen this played out far too often.
Nova Peris said we have the worst hospital system in the country – a disgrace. Not even through interjection am I hearing any attempt to condemn Senator Peris. I, without hesitation, condemn her for her reckless comments.
I do, however, commend the AMA for pointing out we have the second-best hospital system in the country. I am proud of that. I will continue to strive to make sure we have the best hospital system in the country.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Is the minister going to address the question about the paediatric ward?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, please take your seat. The minister answered the question as he saw fit.
- Refurbish paediatric wards to improve paediatric services
revoted from 2014-15 in this year’s budget.
Given your failure to deliver these much-needed upgrades, along with your cuts to Territory-wide primary healthcare in yesterday’s budget, why should Territorians have any faith in your government when it comes to delivering quality healthcare for Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to be close enough to see the fear in their eyes.
It appears that the members opposite think the moment you issue a media release, all of a sudden, magically, a new paediatric ward appears out of the ether. The Labor Party does not design paediatric wards …
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! I ask the minister to direct his comments through the Chair.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. His comments were through the Chair.
Mr ELFERINK: We go through a design process, plan and make sure the right people are consulted. This opposition, which says it believes in consultation, would have us not consult. Then they come into this place and their response to this issue is to say, ‘Do not consult, you have to do this immediately’. Well we do things through a planning process.
I have not heard them condemn the Senator for the Northern Territory from the Australian Labor Party who called our hospital system the worst in the country – not a single word from any of them, including the shadow minister for Health, in defence of the hard-working …
Ms MANISON: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question regarding the progress of the paediatric ward.
Mr ELFERINK: This is the embarrassment of the Labor Party. Will they condemn Nova Peris for her disgraceful comments? No, they will not.
The defender of the public service? My eye. They believe in using public servants as weapons and tools of politics. We have seen this played out far too often.
Nova Peris said we have the worst hospital system in the country – a disgrace. Not even through interjection am I hearing any attempt to condemn Senator Peris. I, without hesitation, condemn her for her reckless comments.
I do, however, commend the AMA for pointing out we have the second-best hospital system in the country. I am proud of that. I will continue to strive to make sure we have the best hospital system in the country.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. Is the minister going to address the question about the paediatric ward?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, please take your seat. The minister answered the question as he saw fit.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016