❓ Ms. Kelsbie questions the Minister for Health on reforms achieved through record health investment. The Minister details increased beds, staffing, and new care models, while criticizing the opposition's health policies as inconsistent and misinformed.
AnsweredQoN 831Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH SERVICES — INVESTMENT
831. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Health:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment in health and
mental health services in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what reforms this government is achieving through
this record investment?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house if she is aware of any alternative approaches to
improve Western Australia's health system?
831. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Health:
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment in health and
mental health services in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what reforms this government is achieving through
this record investment?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house if she is aware of any alternative approaches to
improve Western Australia's health system?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I thank the
member for the question. Members in this house know that under this government,
we have seen record spending on health and record reforms in health. All that
is made possible by maintaining a strong economy and a healthy balance sheet.
That allows us to invest strongly in healthcare provision. In this term of government alone, we have
delivered 800 beds across our health system, and there is another tertiary hospital–worth of beds in the forward estimates if we are
re-elected at the March election. We have
seen increases in staffing of 30 per cent, with 4 000 nurses and 1 800 more
doctors in our system than we had at the beginning of this term. We are
doing things differently. We are not just expecting people to do the same thing and turn up to the emergency
department. We are providing different methods of care for people, such
as the virtual emergency department and Hospital in the Home, supporting people
to stay at home and get access to excellent care in their home. We are also
providing care awaiting placement programs, partnering with the feds to make
sure that our older Australians are able to exit hospital into more appropriate
circumstances, and, of course, record-breaking amounts of elective surgery. We
are building major infrastructure such as the brand new Newman Health Campus
and the Albany radiation oncology service, and providing upgrades to Collie
Hospital and Dongara Health Centre and emergency departments at Plantagenet, Cranbrook, Boddington, Dalwallinu and Wongan
Hills. We are providing 30 beds at Bunbury Regional Hospital. At
Laverton Hospital, the forward works will commence at the end of this year. Geraldton Health Campus has a new
storey going on it, and we are redeveloping Bunbury Regional Hospital,
with the contract already awarded.
(2) We have already seen some alternative policies
from the opposition. We have seen two separate alternative health
policies. Both the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA have committed to $400 million
each for infrastructure funds. Although the
Liberals have committed to Margaret River Hospital, the Nationals have decided that Meekatharra is their priority. It is impossible to keep up with
their priorities. On top of that, we have
also seen the Liberal candidate for Dawesville committing to not only the
redevelopment of Peel Health Campus, but also a brand new hospital,
completely unbeknownst to the leader and shadow health spokesperson. She has completely lost control. She has lost
control in health, and we know that she has lost control over gun
policy. There is the elective surgery so-called guarantee with no detail of how
this would work and what capacity the private sector has to deliver it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : They cite
Queensland as a success in cutting over-boundary cases, when actually Western Australia did better than Queensland. But,
most interestingly, there are a couple of recent posts from the Liberal
Party on the member for Vasse's social media pages. We know she is
under pressure, and it is showing. The first
one is this post, which claims that in 2023–24, WA Labor spent $339 million
in a year on health. That is the claim. Where did she get that number?
Mr R.R. Whitby : Show us the
line in the budget!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I will tell
members how much we spent in that year. It was $12 billion.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I will be
accused of many things, but the Treasurer will never accuse me of reducing
health spending. I will never be accused of reducing health spending. That has
not occurred under this government; it has not occurred in the last three to
four years.
Mr R.R. Whitby : Take it down.
It's misinformation.
Ms A. SANDERSON : It is
misinformation. It is a blatant lie. This is another one. The next one that
appeared on her page a short while ago stated —
Should $7 billion of taxpayers money
be spent on Labor's port or fixing WA's hospitals?
I
will tell members how much we spent. In this financial year, it will be $13 billion.
That is how much will be spent in this year. Is the member suggesting we
spend $7 billion? Is that the suggestion—that we cut the health
spending to $7 billion? Under a Liberal plan
it is going to cut spending to $7 billion per annum when it is $13 billion. We
k now that the community understands our plan. We know it understands
that more beds, more staff, and more spending on health means more access to
care under Labor. That is in contrast with an opposition that has lost control,
has no priorities on health, and cannot even decide who attends a press
conference.
member for the question. Members in this house know that under this government,
we have seen record spending on health and record reforms in health. All that
is made possible by maintaining a strong economy and a healthy balance sheet.
That allows us to invest strongly in healthcare provision. In this term of government alone, we have
delivered 800 beds across our health system, and there is another tertiary hospital–worth of beds in the forward estimates if we are
re-elected at the March election. We have
seen increases in staffing of 30 per cent, with 4 000 nurses and 1 800 more
doctors in our system than we had at the beginning of this term. We are
doing things differently. We are not just expecting people to do the same thing and turn up to the emergency
department. We are providing different methods of care for people, such
as the virtual emergency department and Hospital in the Home, supporting people
to stay at home and get access to excellent care in their home. We are also
providing care awaiting placement programs, partnering with the feds to make
sure that our older Australians are able to exit hospital into more appropriate
circumstances, and, of course, record-breaking amounts of elective surgery. We
are building major infrastructure such as the brand new Newman Health Campus
and the Albany radiation oncology service, and providing upgrades to Collie
Hospital and Dongara Health Centre and emergency departments at Plantagenet, Cranbrook, Boddington, Dalwallinu and Wongan
Hills. We are providing 30 beds at Bunbury Regional Hospital. At
Laverton Hospital, the forward works will commence at the end of this year. Geraldton Health Campus has a new
storey going on it, and we are redeveloping Bunbury Regional Hospital,
with the contract already awarded.
(2) We have already seen some alternative policies
from the opposition. We have seen two separate alternative health
policies. Both the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA have committed to $400 million
each for infrastructure funds. Although the
Liberals have committed to Margaret River Hospital, the Nationals have decided that Meekatharra is their priority. It is impossible to keep up with
their priorities. On top of that, we have
also seen the Liberal candidate for Dawesville committing to not only the
redevelopment of Peel Health Campus, but also a brand new hospital,
completely unbeknownst to the leader and shadow health spokesperson. She has completely lost control. She has lost
control in health, and we know that she has lost control over gun
policy. There is the elective surgery so-called guarantee with no detail of how
this would work and what capacity the private sector has to deliver it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : They cite
Queensland as a success in cutting over-boundary cases, when actually Western Australia did better than Queensland. But,
most interestingly, there are a couple of recent posts from the Liberal
Party on the member for Vasse's social media pages. We know she is
under pressure, and it is showing. The first
one is this post, which claims that in 2023–24, WA Labor spent $339 million
in a year on health. That is the claim. Where did she get that number?
Mr R.R. Whitby : Show us the
line in the budget!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I will tell
members how much we spent in that year. It was $12 billion.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I will be
accused of many things, but the Treasurer will never accuse me of reducing
health spending. I will never be accused of reducing health spending. That has
not occurred under this government; it has not occurred in the last three to
four years.
Mr R.R. Whitby : Take it down.
It's misinformation.
Ms A. SANDERSON : It is
misinformation. It is a blatant lie. This is another one. The next one that
appeared on her page a short while ago stated —
Should $7 billion of taxpayers money
be spent on Labor's port or fixing WA's hospitals?
I
will tell members how much we spent. In this financial year, it will be $13 billion.
That is how much will be spent in this year. Is the member suggesting we
spend $7 billion? Is that the suggestion—that we cut the health
spending to $7 billion? Under a Liberal plan
it is going to cut spending to $7 billion per annum when it is $13 billion. We
k now that the community understands our plan. We know it understands
that more beds, more staff, and more spending on health means more access to
care under Labor. That is in contrast with an opposition that has lost control,
has no priorities on health, and cannot even decide who attends a press
conference.
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