❓ Mr. Cook questions the Treasurer about the delayed redevelopment of the Quadriplegic Centre of WA, citing a resident's injury and the facility's dilapidated state. The Treasurer acknowledges the issue, defends the government's health spending record, and refutes claims of prioritizing other projects.
AnsweredQoN 152Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GREG EVANS
— QUADRIPLEGIC CENTRE OF WA
152. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Treasurer:
I refer to the plight of Greg Evans, a resident at the
Quadriplegic Centre of WA, who received horrific burns to his body from a
scalding bath at the dilapidated and run-down facility, and to the at least two
business cases that the Minister for Health has presented to redevelop this facility.
(1) Is it true
that the Quadriplegic Centre has called in its annual reports for the last five
years for the ageing centre's facilities to be replaced?
(2) Why has the
Treasurer prioritised other projects when quadriplegic patients languish in a
facility that the Quadriplegic Centre has repeatedly described as having passed
the end of its effective economic life and in some respects safe use?
— QUADRIPLEGIC CENTRE OF WA
152. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Treasurer:
I refer to the plight of Greg Evans, a resident at the
Quadriplegic Centre of WA, who received horrific burns to his body from a
scalding bath at the dilapidated and run-down facility, and to the at least two
business cases that the Minister for Health has presented to redevelop this facility.
(1) Is it true
that the Quadriplegic Centre has called in its annual reports for the last five
years for the ageing centre's facilities to be replaced?
(2) Why has the
Treasurer prioritised other projects when quadriplegic patients languish in a
facility that the Quadriplegic Centre has repeatedly described as having passed
the end of its effective economic life and in some respects safe use?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I have some personal experience with the centre; I have a very badly injured constituent,
a young boy, who was out there and who I visited a number of times. I
personally know the situation of the people in there and the run-down condition
of the facility. There is another issue that when particularly teenagers leave
the centre, there is often no place for them to go other than an aged-care
home, which is inadequate. This is an area that the state has to do something
about. As the member should know, but often sounds as though he does not, we
are steadily going through and revamping the facilities not only for health,
but also for mental health and other areas. Those are areas that we are clearly
looking at. The member's claim that as Treasurer I have repeatedly
recommended something else is simply not true.
Mr R.H. Cook : The
minister said that he has made submissions.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : It
is not true.
The Department of Health, in the discussions on strategic
projects, for the Economic and Expenditure Reform Committee or for Treasury
allocating capital priorities, determines the capital priorities. It has done
so and will continue to do so. It is definitely an issue that we as a
government, the Minister for Health and our bilaterals, have discussed quite
extensively. The member's point about the centre being run-down is
true, but given the government's track record on health, particularly
on capital spending, I think the families involved with the centre will look to
us to address the problem more quickly than they will look to the opposition to
do so.
I have some personal experience with the centre; I have a very badly injured constituent,
a young boy, who was out there and who I visited a number of times. I
personally know the situation of the people in there and the run-down condition
of the facility. There is another issue that when particularly teenagers leave
the centre, there is often no place for them to go other than an aged-care
home, which is inadequate. This is an area that the state has to do something
about. As the member should know, but often sounds as though he does not, we
are steadily going through and revamping the facilities not only for health,
but also for mental health and other areas. Those are areas that we are clearly
looking at. The member's claim that as Treasurer I have repeatedly
recommended something else is simply not true.
Mr R.H. Cook : The
minister said that he has made submissions.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : It
is not true.
The Department of Health, in the discussions on strategic
projects, for the Economic and Expenditure Reform Committee or for Treasury
allocating capital priorities, determines the capital priorities. It has done
so and will continue to do so. It is definitely an issue that we as a
government, the Minister for Health and our bilaterals, have discussed quite
extensively. The member's point about the centre being run-down is
true, but given the government's track record on health, particularly
on capital spending, I think the families involved with the centre will look to
us to address the problem more quickly than they will look to the opposition to
do so.
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