Mr CONLAN - 2008-09-10
Given you accept that there was a nurse staffing crisis at the Royal Darwin Hospital in 2006 and 2007, how do you justify your media statement on 18 December 2006, titled ‘Health System in Good Shape’, in which you boast about the nursing staffing levels, just two days after the death of Mrs Margaret Winter?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. Yes, I did put out a media release on 18 December, but it was in response to the then shadow, Dr Richard Lim, who had been in the media making comments about the EBA.
I think you need to put my media release in the context of the comments by Richard Lim. This is from the ABC news on 18 August at 1 pm:
And then the quote from Dr Lim …
Mr Conlan: Sounds like trouble to me.
Dr BURNS: You have asked a question and I am answering it. Dr Lim:
Madam Speaker, my media release was in relation to those comments specifically about the EBA. I mentioned the EBA right at the top of my media release, and then I go on to say:
Madam Speaker, that is the case. This government, since 2001, has employed an extra 433 nurses within our hospitals. This government has employed an extra 162 doctors within our hospitals. This government has increased health spending by 89% …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: If you want to talk specifically about Royal Darwin Hospital, since 2001, we have actually doubled the expenditure at Royal Darwin Hospital from $112m to $225m. That is fact. If you look at the cumulative spend at Royal Darwin Hospital, year by year, by the extra amounts that have been put in every year, the cumulative extra spend is some $460m - almost $0.5bn.
My job as Health Minister is to ensure that the departments and our hospitals are adequately resourced to carry out the job that they have to do. It is the job of the department to manage those resources. I am sure the opposition have many questions about this coronial and the coronial findings. I am more than happy to take them, and I am more than happy to speak about the direct findings of the Coroner.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Greatorex for his question. Yes, I did put out a media release on 18 December, but it was in response to the then shadow, Dr Richard Lim, who had been in the media making comments about the EBA.
I think you need to put my media release in the context of the comments by Richard Lim. This is from the ABC news on 18 August at 1 pm:
- The Northern Territory opposition says the government is struggling to pay doctors and nurses because of an increase in health bureaucrats. Last week, doctors and nurses both rejected a 6% wage rise over two years. The opposition Health spokesman, Richard Lim, says medical staff are already working regular overtime. He says the latest failed round of negotiations could see many of them leave the Territory.
And then the quote from Dr Lim …
Mr Conlan: Sounds like trouble to me.
Dr BURNS: You have asked a question and I am answering it. Dr Lim:
- In the last four years, the government has increased its health bureaucrats by 193, some 20%, and they have to be paid and so they are robbing the nurses and doctors to pay the health bureaucrats.
Madam Speaker, my media release was in relation to those comments specifically about the EBA. I mentioned the EBA right at the top of my media release, and then I go on to say:
- Under this government, an additional 102 doctors, or plus 37.5%, and 271 nurses, or plus 21%, have been employed since 2001.
Madam Speaker, that is the case. This government, since 2001, has employed an extra 433 nurses within our hospitals. This government has employed an extra 162 doctors within our hospitals. This government has increased health spending by 89% …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Dr BURNS: If you want to talk specifically about Royal Darwin Hospital, since 2001, we have actually doubled the expenditure at Royal Darwin Hospital from $112m to $225m. That is fact. If you look at the cumulative spend at Royal Darwin Hospital, year by year, by the extra amounts that have been put in every year, the cumulative extra spend is some $460m - almost $0.5bn.
My job as Health Minister is to ensure that the departments and our hospitals are adequately resourced to carry out the job that they have to do. It is the job of the department to manage those resources. I am sure the opposition have many questions about this coronial and the coronial findings. I am more than happy to take them, and I am more than happy to speak about the direct findings of the Coroner.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016