❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding parking arrangements at Perth Children's Hospital, specifically concerning safety and accessibility for parents. The Minister defends the decision based on expert infection control advice.
AnsweredQoN 168Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — PARKING
168. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Why
has the minister failed to address these issues as promised and how is it
deemed safer —
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Member,
once again, you have made the mistake of saying ''and''. A
supplementary question is one question only.
Ms L. METTAM : How is this
deemed safer and more appropriate than the former arrangement?
168. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Why
has the minister failed to address these issues as promised and how is it
deemed safer —
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Member,
once again, you have made the mistake of saying ''and''. A
supplementary question is one question only.
Ms L. METTAM : How is this
deemed safer and more appropriate than the former arrangement?
AnswerView source ↗
Last time I looked, the member for
Vasse was not an expert in infection control.
Ms L. Mettam : And neither are
you!
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, and that
is why I take the advice of the experts. I am not an expert.
An opposition member interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, I am
not. I am quite happy to admit I am not an expert in infection control, an
expert in infectious diseases nor an epidemiologist and, unlike the opposition,
I do not try to second-guess those experts. There are no vacancies for those
positions right now—they are full. They are providing advice to the
government. A number of experts were engaged to work through the footprint of
the hospital. The member is somehow saying that
the government should interfere. The member for Vasse is suggesting that I call
the hospital exec and say, ''I don't like this. This is
awkward. You need to reinstate the car park to everyone so that all those
patients mingle and one of our most vulnerable patients gets COVID and dies!''
The member has suggested that I just interfere in the processes that have been
put in place by experts in infectious disease control. I will do not do that.
I do not like that the car park is
not available to parents. Absolutely, that is a very challenging situation
because I know that those parents are already going through the immense stress
of their ordeals. I do not like that it is not available to them, but I am not
going to put their children unnecessarily at risk.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : That is
the end of question time.
Vasse was not an expert in infection control.
Ms L. Mettam : And neither are
you!
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, and that
is why I take the advice of the experts. I am not an expert.
An opposition member interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, I am
not. I am quite happy to admit I am not an expert in infection control, an
expert in infectious diseases nor an epidemiologist and, unlike the opposition,
I do not try to second-guess those experts. There are no vacancies for those
positions right now—they are full. They are providing advice to the
government. A number of experts were engaged to work through the footprint of
the hospital. The member is somehow saying that
the government should interfere. The member for Vasse is suggesting that I call
the hospital exec and say, ''I don't like this. This is
awkward. You need to reinstate the car park to everyone so that all those
patients mingle and one of our most vulnerable patients gets COVID and dies!''
The member has suggested that I just interfere in the processes that have been
put in place by experts in infectious disease control. I will do not do that.
I do not like that the car park is
not available to parents. Absolutely, that is a very challenging situation
because I know that those parents are already going through the immense stress
of their ordeals. I do not like that it is not available to them, but I am not
going to put their children unnecessarily at risk.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : That is
the end of question time.
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