❓ Question regarding the Southern Inland Health Initiative and its benefits to regional WA, in response to criticism from a Melbourne-based think tank. The Minister defends the program and highlights its positive impact on regional healthcare.
AnsweredQoN 299Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SOUTHERN INLAND HEALTH INITIATIVE
Under the heading “Regions policy is a $1b ‘waste’”, it was reported today that the Grattan Institute, a public policy think tank, thought that putting money into regional Western Australia was misdirected. Given that the Liberal–National government, through its royalties for regions program, has just announced a $565 million boost for regional health care in southern inland WA, my constituents would disagree with the Grattan Institute. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES
Under the heading “Regions policy is a $1b ‘waste’”, it was reported today that the Grattan Institute, a public policy think tank, thought that putting money into regional Western Australia was misdirected. Given that the Liberal–National government, through its royalties for regions program, has just announced a $565 million boost for regional health care in southern inland WA, my constituents would disagree with the Grattan Institute. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr G.G. JACOBS : I know the benefits of the southern inland health initiative to my constituents, but can the minister please inform the house of how broad this program is? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Yes, I can. I was somewhat amazed reading this article because I was in fact yesterday afternoon and this morning in Merredin, Northam and Katanning talking to doctors and other community people—with the Minister for Regional Development for part of that—about the southern inland health initiative. I have to say that they are very excited about this new project that we have put together. It amazes me that a think tank that is based in Melbourne that looks at Australia-wide regional investment programs decides that the one in Western Australia is not working too well, although it obviously has not talked to people within the health department, to me as the minister or to anyone out there in the community who receives the benefits of the royalties for regions funds. Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Yes, this question may well have been directed to the Minister for Regional Development, but I think this is a good opportunity for other ministers to stand and say just how good we find this program and the huge benefits that we can bring to regional Western Australia. I will start with the small amounts of money that are going into health; the money that helped us to fund the huge expansion of the patient assisted travel scheme. We are the only state that has been able to manage this level of funding to PATS. There has also been funding for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, Albany Regional Hospital and Busselton Hospital. There is $150 million in funding on the way for Nickol Bay Hospital and the Exmouth Multipurpose Service. There is the huge amount of funding being made available through royalties for regions, and that is what royalties for regions funding is all about—taking money that is mostly earnt out in the bush and putting it back into the bush. There is $565 million over five years for the new southern inland health initiative that has been announced in the budget. That will take over from an area in which the commonwealth government has failed. We have a huge problem in getting enough doctors to work in rural and regional Western Australia, and this program is designed to address that problem in a way that has never been tried before. There is a massive amount of money for recurrent investment to employ doctors moving into private practices, to support those private practices and therefore to support our hospitals by making sure that we have 24-hour specific cover in our emergency departments in the major regional resource centres. There will also be a significant capital upgrade to expand the original funding that was in place and the addition of a significant extra amount to improve the regional resource centres in places like Katanning, Merredin and Northam. A long list of such places was included in our press release. We will also make sure that the small hospitals are brought up to an acceptable standard. I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
I cannot understand how a think tank based in Victoria could say that those areas are not being properly covered. The think tank refers specifically to some of the faster growing areas, like Mandurah and Bunbury. I know that my electorate has been able to access funding through the development commission, apart from the money that the local government has received, to work to significantly improve the water supply within the region. Other organisations like the local surf club and the local footy club have benefited. I know that there are applications in place for future developments in Mandurah. For example, there is an excellent chance that there will be support from the royalties for regions program for the council’s highest priorities, which are the replacement of the old bridge and the upgrading of the swimming pool complex, which is sadly out of date. When in opposition, I wrote to the former Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Bob Kucera, for funding to replace the swimming pool. Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Mr M. McGowan : This isn’t relevant to the question. It’s a misuse of question time. The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
The SPEAKER : Member for Rockingham! Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
Dr K.D. HAMES : How can the member say that this is a misuse of question time? I am explaining to the house that this article is wrong, and that the money is being well spent on health in the regions, specifically in areas of rapid growth.
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