❓ Question regarding the WA hospital system's capacity and the Minister's response focuses on aged care, attributing issues to federal underinvestment and outlining state initiatives to address the problem.
AnsweredQoN 292Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA hospital system292.Mr Peter Rundleto
theMinister for Health:I refer to the Director
General of Health's public comments that the hospital system is not coping.(1) Has the minister been briefed by the director
general about her assessment of the hospital system?(2) If yes, what new actions
has the minister taken since that briefing to address this situation?(3) If minister has not been briefed, why not?
theMinister for Health:I refer to the Director
General of Health's public comments that the hospital system is not coping.(1) Has the minister been briefed by the director
general about her assessment of the hospital system?(2) If yes, what new actions
has the minister taken since that briefing to address this situation?(3) If minister has not been briefed, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 August 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:(1)–(3) I thank the member for the
question. I do think it is important to be clear about the comment that the director
general made. She was speaking very specifically in relation to aged care. She
was making the point—Several members
interjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:She was talking about aged care in
particular, members.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt!Ms Meredith Hammat:She said that we need a new model
of care for aged care because that is not working for what is in front of us.
It is no surprise, with aged care being a federal government responsibility.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Everyone in the opposition! You have
asked the question; the minister is responding. You may not like the response,
but the minister is answering the question. You will get the opportunity to ask
a supplementary—maybe. If you keep carrying on the way you are, you
will not. Carry on, minister.Ms Meredith Hammat:For 10 years, we endured a Liberal
government in Canberra, and this is the consequence of that—an
underinvestment in fundamental services that the community requires. We have
been working hard not just to meet the unprecedented demand in the health
system but particularly to make sure that we are taking steps—Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:Particularly, there is a need to
address the number of older Western Australians who are in our hospitals
because they are unable to find appropriate care in either an aged-care setting
or a home-care setting. In the peak of winter, more than 250 Western
Australians fell into that category. As I said, this reflects 10 years of
neglect from the Liberal–National government in Canberra. That is
right.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Premier!Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition! Leader of the
Opposition, this is not a time for you to have a personal conversation with
anyone on this side of the chamber. The minister is on her feet responding to a
question that the member for Roe asked. As a consequence, he is not going to
get a supplementary. Carry on, minister.Ms Meredith Hammat:Thank you, Speaker.We have been taking
steps to basically ensure that older Western Australians are able to get access
to care. A hospital setting is not always the best place for an older Western
Australian who needs care, and that is why this government has put in place a
number of things, one of which has been to create a Minister for Aged Care and
Seniors, recognising the very important role that providing appropriate care
for older Western Australians plays in meeting our overall challenges in the
health system. It is why we announced low-interest loans as part of our
election commitment—to stimulate the aged-care sector to create more
beds for our older Western Australians. It is why we have invested in things
like Time to Think beds to assist people to transition out of hospital and why
we have also worked hard around the Transition Care program.We will continue to
do more. This is an area in which we recognise there needs to be greater
investment from the federal government. We will continue to argue for that, but
we are working hard using the levers available to us to provide support to
older Western Australians. I also want to mention our election commitment to
older adult health hubs, which, again, are designed to recognise that we want
to provide care for older Western Australians in the community closer to their
home—closer to where they live. We are getting on with the job of
providing support to older—Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition, I call you for
the first time.Ms Meredith Hammat:We, as a state government, are
getting on with the job of providing support to older Western Australians. It
is a critical issue that we need to address in our health system. We will
continue to ask the federal government to do its role in making sure that the
people in this state get appropriate care.The Speaker:Sorry, member for Roe; you are not getting
a supplementary.Mr Peter Rundle:I've been very well behaved.The Speaker:It is best that you talk to the rest of
your team.
WA hospital system
question. I do think it is important to be clear about the comment that the director
general made. She was speaking very specifically in relation to aged care. She
was making the point—Several members
interjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:She was talking about aged care in
particular, members.Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.The Speaker:Member for Central Wheatbelt!Ms Meredith Hammat:She said that we need a new model
of care for aged care because that is not working for what is in front of us.
It is no surprise, with aged care being a federal government responsibility.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Everyone in the opposition! You have
asked the question; the minister is responding. You may not like the response,
but the minister is answering the question. You will get the opportunity to ask
a supplementary—maybe. If you keep carrying on the way you are, you
will not. Carry on, minister.Ms Meredith Hammat:For 10 years, we endured a Liberal
government in Canberra, and this is the consequence of that—an
underinvestment in fundamental services that the community requires. We have
been working hard not just to meet the unprecedented demand in the health
system but particularly to make sure that we are taking steps—Mr Lachlan Hunterinterjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:Particularly, there is a need to
address the number of older Western Australians who are in our hospitals
because they are unable to find appropriate care in either an aged-care setting
or a home-care setting. In the peak of winter, more than 250 Western
Australians fell into that category. As I said, this reflects 10 years of
neglect from the Liberal–National government in Canberra. That is
right.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Premier!Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition! Leader of the
Opposition, this is not a time for you to have a personal conversation with
anyone on this side of the chamber. The minister is on her feet responding to a
question that the member for Roe asked. As a consequence, he is not going to
get a supplementary. Carry on, minister.Ms Meredith Hammat:Thank you, Speaker.We have been taking
steps to basically ensure that older Western Australians are able to get access
to care. A hospital setting is not always the best place for an older Western
Australian who needs care, and that is why this government has put in place a
number of things, one of which has been to create a Minister for Aged Care and
Seniors, recognising the very important role that providing appropriate care
for older Western Australians plays in meeting our overall challenges in the
health system. It is why we announced low-interest loans as part of our
election commitment—to stimulate the aged-care sector to create more
beds for our older Western Australians. It is why we have invested in things
like Time to Think beds to assist people to transition out of hospital and why
we have also worked hard around the Transition Care program.We will continue to
do more. This is an area in which we recognise there needs to be greater
investment from the federal government. We will continue to argue for that, but
we are working hard using the levers available to us to provide support to
older Western Australians. I also want to mention our election commitment to
older adult health hubs, which, again, are designed to recognise that we want
to provide care for older Western Australians in the community closer to their
home—closer to where they live. We are getting on with the job of
providing support to older—Mr Basil Zempilasinterjected.The Speaker:Leader of the Opposition, I call you for
the first time.Ms Meredith Hammat:We, as a state government, are
getting on with the job of providing support to older Western Australians. It
is a critical issue that we need to address in our health system. We will
continue to ask the federal government to do its role in making sure that the
people in this state get appropriate care.The Speaker:Sorry, member for Roe; you are not getting
a supplementary.Mr Peter Rundle:I've been very well behaved.The Speaker:It is best that you talk to the rest of
your team.
WA hospital system
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