Ms WALKER - 2014-03-26
On 9 April 2013, the Health minister, Mrs Lambley, said the entire Gove community would benefit from building a new $13m emergency department at Gove District Hospital, which was Commonwealth funding approved and locked in by the former Labor government.
On 14 May 2013 the minister’s media release said:
That is, 2013:
Why was this important project missing from the CLP government’s Gove community support e-newsletter last Friday about Territory government spending in the East Arnhem region? Have you dumped this important project?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I made those announcements in March, just after I became Health minister, and again in May. Much has happened since then, as you know, member for Nhulunbuy.
We are now reappraising the future demand for health services in Nhulunbuy. There is no doubt we need to improve the emergency department services in Nhulunbuy, but what it should look like - given the predicted decrease in population of up to 50% - will be different from the original plans put in place 18 months ago.
It takes common sense and good business practice to review this situation, as we are doing for all parts of government’s commitment to Nhulunbuy. We cannot justify spending more money than is reasonably required. In Nhulunbuy the current demand for emergency department services is made up of 50% non-Aboriginal people. Therefore, when you take away a significant slice of non-Aboriginal people from the Nhulunbuy community, you may not have the same demand for emergency services. Sense would indicate the demand for emergency services could drop by approximately 30%.
We have to - rationally and unemotionally - look at these numbers, which we are doing slowly and without any political motivation other than being responsible with how we manage our resources. When you have a decrease in demand in one spot and an increase in demand in another centre across the Territory, you have to make good government decisions - good political and bureaucratic decisions - over how to allocate your resources.
At this point in time, I am not committing to what we are doing in the emergency department of the Gove District Hospital; however, it will not be the same as what was originally committed. I do not know how far we will wind it back, but when you have a considerable drop in demand you cannot defend putting in the same amount of resources. It is common sense.
On 14 May 2013 the minister’s media release said:
- The construction tender process for the new facility is expected to begin later this year …
That is, 2013:
- … and it will be operating by early 2015.
Why was this important project missing from the CLP government’s Gove community support e-newsletter last Friday about Territory government spending in the East Arnhem region? Have you dumped this important project?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I made those announcements in March, just after I became Health minister, and again in May. Much has happened since then, as you know, member for Nhulunbuy.
We are now reappraising the future demand for health services in Nhulunbuy. There is no doubt we need to improve the emergency department services in Nhulunbuy, but what it should look like - given the predicted decrease in population of up to 50% - will be different from the original plans put in place 18 months ago.
It takes common sense and good business practice to review this situation, as we are doing for all parts of government’s commitment to Nhulunbuy. We cannot justify spending more money than is reasonably required. In Nhulunbuy the current demand for emergency department services is made up of 50% non-Aboriginal people. Therefore, when you take away a significant slice of non-Aboriginal people from the Nhulunbuy community, you may not have the same demand for emergency services. Sense would indicate the demand for emergency services could drop by approximately 30%.
We have to - rationally and unemotionally - look at these numbers, which we are doing slowly and without any political motivation other than being responsible with how we manage our resources. When you have a decrease in demand in one spot and an increase in demand in another centre across the Territory, you have to make good government decisions - good political and bureaucratic decisions - over how to allocate your resources.
At this point in time, I am not committing to what we are doing in the emergency department of the Gove District Hospital; however, it will not be the same as what was originally committed. I do not know how far we will wind it back, but when you have a considerable drop in demand you cannot defend putting in the same amount of resources. It is common sense.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016