❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health about alleged financial losses due to mismanagement of the Perth Children's Hospital project, specifically regarding car parking costs. The Minister defends the project's funding model and attributes delays to factors beyond the government's control.
AnsweredQoN 560Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — CAR PARKING
560. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm
that, even though this is a strategic management project, it is the Department
of Health that is leeching half a million dollars a month because of the
minister's bungled mismanagement of the hospital project?
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — CAR PARKING
560. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm
that, even though this is a strategic management project, it is the Department
of Health that is leeching half a million dollars a month because of the
minister's bungled mismanagement of the hospital project?
AnswerView source ↗
I would have thought the opposition and the member for
Kwinana would by now understand that there is a new, approximately $120 million,
multilevel 3 000-bay car parking facility at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical
Centre site that has been funded through a public–private partnership
between the state government and the private sector. In other words, taxpayers
of the state have not had to outlay that $120 million upfront. That is an
avoided cost. There is a short-term cost in relation to the fact that,
unfortunately and beyond the government's control, the opening of the
Perth Children's Hospital has been delayed. We regret that that is the
case; as I said, it is beyond our control and it is no fault of the government
at all. Incidentally, the fact that this children's hospital
development has been delayed is something we have in common with other major
hospital redevelopments around the country—particularly the Royal
Adelaide Hospital and the Royal Hobart Hospital, so we are no orphan in that
respect. However, we regret the fact that the opening of the hospital has been
delayed as a result of no fault of the government. That has led to a short-term
cost according to the contract in relation to the parking facilities, but there
is a substantial benefit to taxpayers overall in the fact that a major new
capital project has been provided through this public–private
partnership.
Kwinana would by now understand that there is a new, approximately $120 million,
multilevel 3 000-bay car parking facility at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical
Centre site that has been funded through a public–private partnership
between the state government and the private sector. In other words, taxpayers
of the state have not had to outlay that $120 million upfront. That is an
avoided cost. There is a short-term cost in relation to the fact that,
unfortunately and beyond the government's control, the opening of the
Perth Children's Hospital has been delayed. We regret that that is the
case; as I said, it is beyond our control and it is no fault of the government
at all. Incidentally, the fact that this children's hospital
development has been delayed is something we have in common with other major
hospital redevelopments around the country—particularly the Royal
Adelaide Hospital and the Royal Hobart Hospital, so we are no orphan in that
respect. However, we regret the fact that the opening of the hospital has been
delayed as a result of no fault of the government. That has led to a short-term
cost according to the contract in relation to the parking facilities, but there
is a substantial benefit to taxpayers overall in the fact that a major new
capital project has been provided through this public–private
partnership.
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