Mr VATSKALIS - 2012-12-05
Your budget slashes the expansion of renal services in Katherine. It is well known the member for Katherine has always been opposed to having a new renal clinic in Katherine. Do the members for Stuart and Arnhem agree that the Katherine region should not have expanded renal services?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. It has been a long time since we heard a question from the other side on health. Good on you, member for Casuarina, you once had an interest in health and I am glad to see there has been a spark fired in your soul. Good on you for asking about the constituents of Katherine and the regions around there. They are very important to us and all Northern Territorians. Anything we can do to improve services in that region is a good thing, member for Casuarina.
In relation to renal services, they are not being reduced. Renal services will continue from the Katherine Hospital. I was in Katherine only a week-and-a-bit ago and can tell you Katherine Hospital is a fantastic facility. It is probably our best resourced hospital in the Northern Territory. It is a great hospital, great setting, and great location. Of course, in the long-term future it will need to be moved, but not at this stage; it is doing a fantastic job.
As for renal services, there is plenty of opportunity to expand renal services within Katherine Hospital. We are looking at doing exactly that, member for Casuarina. People who require those services will still be able to access them at Katherine Hospital; nothing is being reduced. The government is not going ahead with an additional infrastructure requirement somewhere away from the hospital when we have perfectly adequate facilities at the hospital.
Of course, the ongoing funding of that was never budgeted for by the previous government - another indication of the failure of the previous government to manage their budgets ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He is clearly misleading Territorians. That was in the 2012-13 budget.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no a point of order. Minister, continue.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, they do not like listening to answers on these things. I pay credit again to the member of Casuarina. He is one of the former failed Health ministers on the other team, but good on him for asking a question about health.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. It has been a long time since we heard a question from the other side on health. Good on you, member for Casuarina, you once had an interest in health and I am glad to see there has been a spark fired in your soul. Good on you for asking about the constituents of Katherine and the regions around there. They are very important to us and all Northern Territorians. Anything we can do to improve services in that region is a good thing, member for Casuarina.
In relation to renal services, they are not being reduced. Renal services will continue from the Katherine Hospital. I was in Katherine only a week-and-a-bit ago and can tell you Katherine Hospital is a fantastic facility. It is probably our best resourced hospital in the Northern Territory. It is a great hospital, great setting, and great location. Of course, in the long-term future it will need to be moved, but not at this stage; it is doing a fantastic job.
As for renal services, there is plenty of opportunity to expand renal services within Katherine Hospital. We are looking at doing exactly that, member for Casuarina. People who require those services will still be able to access them at Katherine Hospital; nothing is being reduced. The government is not going ahead with an additional infrastructure requirement somewhere away from the hospital when we have perfectly adequate facilities at the hospital.
Of course, the ongoing funding of that was never budgeted for by the previous government - another indication of the failure of the previous government to manage their budgets ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! He is clearly misleading Territorians. That was in the 2012-13 budget.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no a point of order. Minister, continue.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, they do not like listening to answers on these things. I pay credit again to the member of Casuarina. He is one of the former failed Health ministers on the other team, but good on him for asking a question about health.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016