❓ The WA parliamentary question concerns a $4 million contract awarded to Alan Piper for procurement at Fiona Stanley Hospital, questioning its necessity given the establishment of the Office of Strategic Projects. The Minister defends the contract, emphasizing the project's complexity and Piper's expertise.
AnsweredQoN 108Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALAN PIPER — CONTRACT
Just eight months ago the minister was singing the praises of disgraced former senior bureaucrat Alan Piper, who subsequently won a contract valued at about $4 million or $500 000 a year as executive director of procurement for the Fiona Stanley Hospital. That is a startling amount, as it is similar to the same kind of pay Dr Neale Fong was receiving, and the minister admitted that that was a huge mistake on his behalf. (1) Given the establishment of the Office of Strategic Projects headed by Richard Mann and its role in now overseeing the construction of major projects such as the Fiona Stanley Hospital, can the minister advise whether the contract awarded to Alan Piper will now be cancelled? (2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY
Just eight months ago the minister was singing the praises of disgraced former senior bureaucrat Alan Piper, who subsequently won a contract valued at about $4 million or $500 000 a year as executive director of procurement for the Fiona Stanley Hospital. That is a startling amount, as it is similar to the same kind of pay Dr Neale Fong was receiving, and the minister admitted that that was a huge mistake on his behalf. (1) Given the establishment of the Office of Strategic Projects headed by Richard Mann and its role in now overseeing the construction of major projects such as the Fiona Stanley Hospital, can the minister advise whether the contract awarded to Alan Piper will now be cancelled? (2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(1) Given the establishment of the Office of Strategic Projects headed by Richard Mann and its role in now overseeing the construction of major projects such as the Fiona Stanley Hospital, can the minister advise whether the contract awarded to Alan Piper will now be cancelled? (2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(1) Given the establishment of the Office of Strategic Projects headed by Richard Mann and its role in now overseeing the construction of major projects such as the Fiona Stanley Hospital, can the minister advise whether the contract awarded to Alan Piper will now be cancelled? (2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(2) What role is he now performing? (3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(3) Can the minister please explain the retention of this $4 million contract for Alan Piper, when the minister has a whole new department to do the job, and that it is not just another example of his government’s waste? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
(1)-(3) The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have any comprehension of the magnitude and complexity of the development of the Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is estimated to cost $1.76 billion and will be built across the equivalent of four city blocks, will be eight or nine storeys high and, for members who have some familiarity with public hospitals here in Western Australia, will occupy about twice the land area of Royal Perth Hospital and significantly greater floor space. It will contain the quaternary services designed to service the public of Western Australia in areas such as the Fiona Woods burns unit and the state trauma unit. It will have three times as many intensive care beds as Royal Perth Hospital does. It will have the major bulk of the state’s operating capacity for major trauma and other surgery. This is an amazing project. It will be something that members on the other side of the house would not have the vision to even begin to contemplate. This is why, over time, there has been resistance and opposition to this project. I take people back three years to the last state election. Something occurred in this state that has never occurred in the history of Australia. Doctors en masse at Fremantle Hospital put their hands in their pockets to fund a campaign against the Liberal Party because of its lack of support for the Fiona Stanley Hospital proposal to service people in Perth’s southern suburbs. They came up with tens of thousands of dollars to oppose members opposite. They are people who, generally speaking, the Liberal Party relies on for support; however, they did not return that support and they campaigned against members opposite. That is one of the reasons—they should look at the representation in Parliament of Perth’s southern suburbs—they do not have much representation from down there. Members opposite have an inability to comprehend the brilliance of this particular project. That is why they resisted it and were opposed to it. That is why we have dragged out of them this year, very much due to the member for Alfred Cove’s support, a commitment to start supporting this project. That is a tremendous backflip and I welcome that support. We need to have the expertise to put this project together. As members opposite know, under this state government, a remarkable capital works program is under way. That capital works program includes a new sporting stadium, a new museum and a new Perth waterfront. It also includes the $5 000 million that we are spending on rebuilding our health infrastructure—including the new Fiona Stanley Hospital—across the length and breadth of this state. That is the sort of thing the former government would never have dreamt of. The average capital expenditure on health care under the Richard Court government, and up until now under our government, has been about $100 million a year. We will be spending $5 000 million in the short to medium term on rebuilding hospitals, of which Fiona Stanley Hospital is the flagship. Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
Alan Piper—the member wrongly described him in the introduction to his question—is an integral part of delivering Fiona Stanley Hospital. It is a massive project, it requires expertise, and he will continue to be associated with it in the way in which he always has been.
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