Health Infrastructure

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-99499

Hansard session: Fifty-Sixth Parliament, First Session (56-1)

Health Infrastructure

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (14:41:22):

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health, and Minister for Medical Research.

The SPEAKER:

Order! Members will come to order. I cannot hear the member for Oatley.

Mr Stephen Kamper:

Use your biggest voice, mate.

The SPEAKER:

Order! I call the member for Rockdale to order for the second time.

Mr MARK COURE:

How is the Government delivering better health services for patients, their families and health staff across New South Wales?

Mr BRAD HAZZARD (WakehurstMinister for Health, and Minister for Medical Research) (14:41:55):

— I thank the member for Oatley for his question. As many of our colleagues will know, he has worn out the carpet on the way to many ministerial offices—he has certainly worn out mine. I thank him for being a local champion for his community, and without his advocacy I guarantee that we would not have all the great outcomes we are seeing at St George Hospital. I thank the staff who make up our incredible health system across New South Wales. Whether it is medical staff, nursing staff or allied health staff, they work very hard right across this great State. The challenge for the Government is to make sure that we can do far better than the former Labor Government did for 16 long years. In those 16 long years the former Labor Government spent most of the time either cutting its budget or not doing the work of improving hospital infrastructure.

The SPEAKER:

Order! Members will come to order. There are too many audible conversations in the Chamber.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

In fact, in more than seven of its 16 years it cut the Health budget.

Mr Stephen Kamper:

Twenty-two years ago.

The SPEAKER:

Order! I call the member for Rockdale to order for the third time.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

The member for Cessnock knows we are doing a good job. He is very pleased with what has happened at Cessnock hospital. In 2011 nearly half of our hospitals were more than 50 years old—

Ms Gladys Berejiklian:

Shame!

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

It was a shame, as the Premier said. It was appalling. Labor's last budget contained Health spending of just $15.5 billion—that is only just over six years ago. It was absolutely inadequate to look after our growing community across New South Wales. Since 2010-11, when Labor was last in office and its budget was $15.5 billion, has the Liberal-Nationals Government increased the budget by $1 billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Two billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Three billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Four billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Five billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Six billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Seven billion?

Government members:

No.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Eight billion? Yes.

Government members:

Yes.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

Yes, yes, yes. That is what we did. The increase is $8 billion. Members of the Coalition know how much money we have put into Health but nobody on the Labor benches wants to know.

The SPEAKER:

Order! I remind the member for Rockdale that he is on three calls to order. Members will come to order.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

In the next four years we will spend nearly $8 billion just on infrastructure, which will make a huge difference to New South Wales. We are going to continue the pipeline of infrastructure. Our Government is not just about increasing and improving infrastructure; we have actually increased the staff. We recognise that there are staff who are doing the job but who need help. Members of the Labor Party stand up in this Chamber and tell big porkies time and time again about what is going on with health staff. Medical staff have increased from 9,614 to 11,705—an increase in the past few years of 2,091 medical staff. Nursing staff have increased from 42,915 to 47,282—an increase of almost 4,500 new nurses at the front line looking after New South Wales patients. Allied health staff have also increased, from 9,019 to 10,241. It does not matter where we look across this great health system, we are delivering for the people of New South Wales. We have 288 hospitals across this State, including 62 multipurpose services and 283 community health centres. This Government is delivering for the people of New South Wales.

Ms Kate Washington:

Why are the nurses striking?

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:

I beg your pardon?

Ms Kate Washington:

Why are the nurses striking? They are understaffed.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD:Extension of time

When we look at the increases in staff and infrastructure, we should also look at some of the other allegations. []

Every aspect of the health system is being worked upon by the Coalition Government to make sure we improve it for patients. As the member for Oatley asked the question I will pick on St George Hospital and review what has been happening there. When we came to government the number of patients leaving the emergency department at St George Hospital within four hours of presentation was just 49.1 per cent. It is now up to 64.2 per cent—a massive increase. What about the percentage of patients whose treatment started on time? Under Labor it was about 57 per cent—a lot of people just did not get treatment. In April-June 2017 it increased to 71.6 per cent. Elective surgery has jumped from 70-odd per cent to 91.9 per cent. The member for Oatley has obviously been instrumental in getting all these improvements. I congratulate him on his advocacy.

Time expired

It does not matter where you go. The other day I was in Bega with my colleague to look at the South East Regional Hospital. We have already done magnificent work there, and I thank the nurses and staff of the south-eastern region. They told me that this year's flu season was the worst on record. They worked very hard, and many staff were off sick. I thank them all.The member for Bega also announced $500,000 for planning future health services in the region. We are looking at Moruya, Bega, Pambula and indeed the whole area to see what we need to be doing. The member for Wagga Wagga loves the Wagga Wagga hospital. He has got hospital funding coming out of his ears; it is magnificent. [.]