❓ Mr Taylor questions the future of Royal Perth Hospital following concerns raised by the AMA. The Minister for Health clarifies the hospital's future as a tertiary facility and defends the government's health investments, criticising the AMA's recent commentary.
AnsweredQoN 442Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL
442. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Health:
My question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, the
question is finished. Premier, the question is finished.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park,
I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M.H. TAYLOR : The Australian Medical Association has
questioned the future of Royal Perth Hospital. Can the minister please clarify
the situation?
442. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Health:
My question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, the
question is finished. Premier, the question is finished.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park,
I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M.H. TAYLOR : The Australian Medical Association has
questioned the future of Royal Perth Hospital. Can the minister please clarify
the situation?
AnswerView source ↗
I can clarify the situation and some comments that were made today by
the AMA regarding the future of Royal Perth Hospital. I want to clarify that
the Treasurer did make some comments about that. The Treasurer was responding
to a question about what may happen in the development of Royal Perth Hospital
in the future. He talked about whether doing the total refurbishment, which is
what I put forward, was the best option or whether a new build was a better
option. Mr Speaker will recall that the new build was my preferred option, but
when the costings came in at over $800 million, clearly that was unaffordable.
The government has said—in fact I said this in this house just
yesterday—that those are not things it is able to fund at present,
given the financial situation the state is in, and that those things will be
put off to the future. Those decisions will be made. Royal Perth Hospital will
remain a tertiary hospital, and I was very pleased to hear the Treasurer, in
his comments, confirm that it will remain as a tertiary hospital. Its role is
very important. It is important that everyone at Royal Perth Hospital knows
that the hospital will remain like that.
I am becoming a little concerned about comments the AMA is making. It
seems it is out almost every day lately making comments about something or
other. This comment says that because the Treasurer was musing about something
that may happen —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Musing?
Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes, musing.
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Does the member prefer discussing?
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Because the Treasurer was discussing
potential options for redevelopment of Royal Perth in the future, in some way
the AMA suggested, and I have the comments here —
''We've got real concerns about this
Government on health policy, it seems that every day we see a new development
on a Government that � lost the plot on health.''
The opposition may not know, but the AMA should know, that this
government has done a massive amount for health in this state. The government
has not only had an $8 billion infrastructure project with new hospitals such
as Fiona Stanley, Perth Children's, Busselton, Albany, Karratha to
come, and Midland coming soon—all of that magnificent array of
hospitals—but also we have gone from being one of the worst states in
comparison with other states in Australia to now being one of the best. This
government has done an enormous amount for health in this state.
It bothers me that the AMA is coming out on issues such as the Curtin
medical school, which is something strongly supported by senior former AMA
presidents—people like Con Michael, for example—on issues such
as Healthway, Midland hospital and pharmacists. It seems that the AMA is
constantly having forays into the media. It has got back to me that this is not
a unanimous position by the AMA and that in its board meetings, there is a
strong alternative point of view that the AMA is becoming excessively focused
on the person—that is me—and the government and that there
should be a much greater focus on patients, the quality of care of patients and
in fact on its members, me being one of them. I hope that the AMA will have a
serious look at some of the comments it seems to be making every day, and that
it recognises this health service in Western Australia is one of the best in
Australia.
the AMA regarding the future of Royal Perth Hospital. I want to clarify that
the Treasurer did make some comments about that. The Treasurer was responding
to a question about what may happen in the development of Royal Perth Hospital
in the future. He talked about whether doing the total refurbishment, which is
what I put forward, was the best option or whether a new build was a better
option. Mr Speaker will recall that the new build was my preferred option, but
when the costings came in at over $800 million, clearly that was unaffordable.
The government has said—in fact I said this in this house just
yesterday—that those are not things it is able to fund at present,
given the financial situation the state is in, and that those things will be
put off to the future. Those decisions will be made. Royal Perth Hospital will
remain a tertiary hospital, and I was very pleased to hear the Treasurer, in
his comments, confirm that it will remain as a tertiary hospital. Its role is
very important. It is important that everyone at Royal Perth Hospital knows
that the hospital will remain like that.
I am becoming a little concerned about comments the AMA is making. It
seems it is out almost every day lately making comments about something or
other. This comment says that because the Treasurer was musing about something
that may happen —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Musing?
Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes, musing.
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Does the member prefer discussing?
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Because the Treasurer was discussing
potential options for redevelopment of Royal Perth in the future, in some way
the AMA suggested, and I have the comments here —
''We've got real concerns about this
Government on health policy, it seems that every day we see a new development
on a Government that � lost the plot on health.''
The opposition may not know, but the AMA should know, that this
government has done a massive amount for health in this state. The government
has not only had an $8 billion infrastructure project with new hospitals such
as Fiona Stanley, Perth Children's, Busselton, Albany, Karratha to
come, and Midland coming soon—all of that magnificent array of
hospitals—but also we have gone from being one of the worst states in
comparison with other states in Australia to now being one of the best. This
government has done an enormous amount for health in this state.
It bothers me that the AMA is coming out on issues such as the Curtin
medical school, which is something strongly supported by senior former AMA
presidents—people like Con Michael, for example—on issues such
as Healthway, Midland hospital and pharmacists. It seems that the AMA is
constantly having forays into the media. It has got back to me that this is not
a unanimous position by the AMA and that in its board meetings, there is a
strong alternative point of view that the AMA is becoming excessively focused
on the person—that is me—and the government and that there
should be a much greater focus on patients, the quality of care of patients and
in fact on its members, me being one of them. I hope that the AMA will have a
serious look at some of the comments it seems to be making every day, and that
it recognises this health service in Western Australia is one of the best in
Australia.
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