Ms SCRYMGOUR - 2012-02-22
Can you please update the House on the government’s commitment to build a healthier Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. At the core of my government’s agenda is affordable, accessible healthcare, and improving health outcomes for all Territorians. That is why our health budget is over $1.1bn now, more than half of it dedicated to hospitals. Since we came to government, statistics show that we have more than 724 additional nurses; an additional 250 doctors and specialists; and 127 more beds in the Northern Territory. We have upgraded the emergency department at Royal Darwin Hospital. In Alice Springs, currently under way is a new $24m emergency department. We are also planning, and have committed funding for, a new hospital in Palmerston.
Our government supports GP super clinics. The opposition would close the GP Super Clinic in Palmerston and the new one for the northern suburbs. They would slam the door shut on the GP super clinics because Tony Abbott has issued his instructions to the Leader of the Opposition and they would close them down.
We also have the new medical school at Charles Darwin University, with the second intake of medical students this year. My congratulations to all those students. The medical school was opposed by the opposition and Tony Abbott at the last election in terms of the additional funding for remote medical students.
We have invested heavily in the bush. We have more clinics, more doctors, and more specialists. I congratulate the Commonwealth on its investment - I believe it is around $60m - for new health clinics into the bush. Under my government, 60% of our health budget is Indigenous related.
We know the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer are hell-bent on bringing the budget back to surplus. The Opposition Leader has this mantra that spending is not an outcome. Well, Leader of the Opposition, I have to ask you: how do you pay for an extra 720 nurses, an extra 250 doctors, and 127 new hospital beds? How do you pay those wages without an increase in spending ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am happy to answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a question, resume your seat.
Mr Mills: Ah, a rhetorical question in Question Time.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Conlan: Well, what is he talking about? He has to answer a question. He is either answering a question or asking a question. What a coward!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that, please.
Mr CONLAN: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: We know they would take the axe to health spending, because they believe that spending is not an outcome. For 27 years, the CLP declined to provide renal services outside of Darwin and Alice Springs. We have spent money on additional renal services and as a result, life expectancy for people on dialysis has increased by seven years. I call that a real outcome; an outcome that would not have been achieved without spending extra money. The Leader of the Opposition’s intention is very clear: the CLP would take the axe to health spending if it was in government.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for her question. At the core of my government’s agenda is affordable, accessible healthcare, and improving health outcomes for all Territorians. That is why our health budget is over $1.1bn now, more than half of it dedicated to hospitals. Since we came to government, statistics show that we have more than 724 additional nurses; an additional 250 doctors and specialists; and 127 more beds in the Northern Territory. We have upgraded the emergency department at Royal Darwin Hospital. In Alice Springs, currently under way is a new $24m emergency department. We are also planning, and have committed funding for, a new hospital in Palmerston.
Our government supports GP super clinics. The opposition would close the GP Super Clinic in Palmerston and the new one for the northern suburbs. They would slam the door shut on the GP super clinics because Tony Abbott has issued his instructions to the Leader of the Opposition and they would close them down.
We also have the new medical school at Charles Darwin University, with the second intake of medical students this year. My congratulations to all those students. The medical school was opposed by the opposition and Tony Abbott at the last election in terms of the additional funding for remote medical students.
We have invested heavily in the bush. We have more clinics, more doctors, and more specialists. I congratulate the Commonwealth on its investment - I believe it is around $60m - for new health clinics into the bush. Under my government, 60% of our health budget is Indigenous related.
We know the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer are hell-bent on bringing the budget back to surplus. The Opposition Leader has this mantra that spending is not an outcome. Well, Leader of the Opposition, I have to ask you: how do you pay for an extra 720 nurses, an extra 250 doctors, and 127 new hospital beds? How do you pay those wages without an increase in spending ...
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am happy to answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER: That is not a question, resume your seat.
Mr Mills: Ah, a rhetorical question in Question Time.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Conlan: Well, what is he talking about? He has to answer a question. He is either answering a question or asking a question. What a coward!
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw that, please.
Mr CONLAN: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: We know they would take the axe to health spending, because they believe that spending is not an outcome. For 27 years, the CLP declined to provide renal services outside of Darwin and Alice Springs. We have spent money on additional renal services and as a result, life expectancy for people on dialysis has increased by seven years. I call that a real outcome; an outcome that would not have been achieved without spending extra money. The Leader of the Opposition’s intention is very clear: the CLP would take the axe to health spending if it was in government.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016