Health Infrastructure

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-105715

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Health Infrastructure

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (14:44:28):

I address a question to the Minister for Health and Medical Research. Will the Minister inform the House how the Government is delivering on its plan for world-class health care?

Mr BRAD HAZZARD (WakehurstMinister for Health and Medical Research) (14:44:39):

— I thank the member for Oatley for his question. As a loyal supporter of St George Hospital, he went to a lot of trouble to test the emergency department a couple of weeks ago. He did an extraordinary job—well done. I hear that both the emergency department and the member had a happy outcome. Hooray for Coure has managed to secure almost $400 million for the redevelopment of St George Hospital. I am glad that the member did not end up back in the intensive care unit because Theresa Jacques would have asked to increase the four-pod ICU to eight pods if he had been admitted. I am glad the member was thrown out of the emergency department.

This Government is delivering a world-class healthcare system. We are able to do that because we have world-class staff, we have world-class doctors, we have world-class nurses and we have world-class facilities. As I indicated, during his time as the local member of Parliament the member for Oatley has received almost $400 million for the redevelopment of St George Hospital. Across New South Wales an enormous amount of infrastructure has been delivered. In the first two terms of this Government about $10 billion of infrastructure was delivered and during the next four years a shade more than $8.4 billion will be invested in new hospitals. It does not matter where you are in New South Wales—whether you are in the city, Newcastle, Wollongong, the Hunter or the regions—there is money going into new infrastructure.

We have seen many new regional hospitals: In the south-east there is Bega; in the north-west there is Tamworth; there is Parkes and Forbes; stages one and two of Dubbo are complete; and stages three and four of Dubbo are underway. Broken Hill has received $30 million, with Inverell also receiving $30 million. The list goes on. The Tweed Hospital has received more than half a billion dollars. The regions are receiving a massive proportion of the money going into infrastructure across the State. In the city substantial amounts of money are being invested, including: three quarters of a billion dollars for the Prince of Wales campus renewal; almost three quarters of a billion dollars for Liverpool Hospital; almost three quarters of a billion dollars for Campbelltown Hospital; $341 million for Concord hospital; $1 billion for Westmead Hospital; and $700 million for Blacktown Mount Druitt Hospital. It does not matter what part of the State you look at, there is new infrastructure. Last night I had the opportunity to hear the infinite wisdom of the two prospective leaders of the losers on the other side of the House.

Opposition members interjected

[.]

The losers in political circumstances, not individually or personally. I am saying "the political losers". I would not be that person. I was glued to the computer screen listening to the member for Kogarah and the member for Strathfield—who appears to have disappeared.

Mr Clayton Barr:

Point of order: My point of order is under Standing Order 129. I thank the Minister for the first three minutes of his answer but he is now straying from any relevance to the question.

The SPEAKER:

When a Minister has been quite relevant in their response I permit a slight digression, and that is what the Minister is currently doing. The Minister has the call.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

I do not know whether in the short time I have I will be able to make a proper assessment of both members. But both of them were hopeless—absolutely hopeless.

Ms Kate Washington:

Point of order: I draw the attention of the Chair to the fact that the Minister is now flouting your ruling. He is not being relevant at this point.

The SPEAKER:

I expect the Minister to return to the leave of the question shortly. I gave him a little leeway.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Mr Speaker, I am quoting from last night's debate relating to health issues.

Ms Kate Washington:

Point of order: My point of order is under Standing Order 129. That is entirely irrelevant to the question asked.

The SPEAKER:

I grant the Minister a two-minute extension, but I ask the Minister to return to the leave of the question.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

I have not had a moment to do that, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER:

That is why I granted an extension of two minutes.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Last night both members who are the potential candidates to lead those opposite—

Ms Kate Washington:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The member for Port Stephens has not given the Minister a chance to answer.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

The member for Strathfield said, "We actually have to start thinking about the health system a little bit differently." She did start thinking about it quite differently. The member continued, "If we are going to take on Gladys Berejiklian we are going to have to start telling the stories of an older person in a hospital who cannot find somewhere to go, who is taking up a bed." The member thinks that is the health system. The member should be aware that is the Federal Government's responsibility. The reason they are in hospital is that we are accommodating and looking after those patients until they find an available bed in the aged-care system. The member improved.

Ms Jodie Harrison:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

Order! The Minister will resume his seat.

Ms Jodie Harrison:

My point of order is under Standing Order 129. I fail to see how this is relevant to how the Government is delivering on health.

The SPEAKER:

The Minister is being relevant.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

This is a person who wants to be the Premier of this State at some stage. She said, "We know that intensive care units are facing long waiting lists." Intensive care units do not have waiting lists; there is no such thing.

Ms Kate Washington:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The Clerk will stop the clock.

Ms Kate Washington:

My point of order is under Standing Order 129. As the member for Charlestown said, this is not relevant to how the Government is delivering on health.

The SPEAKER:

The Minister is speaking directly on the health system and I regard him as being relevant to the question.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

The member finished by saying, "And I promise you that I will have in my shadow Cabinet someone who is equally as effective as Walt Secord but can also tell the story of people." In other words, Walt is out. Thank heavens there is a chance. Chris Minns, we are not quite sure, but I think he might be voting for you, brother.