❓ Premier Barnett addresses corruption claims at Peel Health Campus and refutes United Voice's assertion about the new children's hospital privatisation, highlighting inaccuracies in opposition's statements and defending Health Solutions.
AnsweredQoN 612Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PEEL
HEALTH CAMPUS — NEW CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
612. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Premier:
I refer to yesterday's motion to suspend standing
orders when the opposition claimed that there was corruption at the Peel Health
Campus. Can the Premier please update the house on the validity of these claims
and whether the United Voice union has refuted or apologised for its false
assertion that the new children's hospital will be privatised?
HEALTH CAMPUS — NEW CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
612. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Premier:
I refer to yesterday's motion to suspend standing
orders when the opposition claimed that there was corruption at the Peel Health
Campus. Can the Premier please update the house on the validity of these claims
and whether the United Voice union has refuted or apologised for its false
assertion that the new children's hospital will be privatised?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Jandakot for the question. Before I
answer the question, I acknowledge the students and teachers from Austin Cove
Baptist College on behalf of the member for Murray–Wellington. I hope
they are enjoying their visit.
Yesterday the opposition, in particular
the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, moved a motion relating to issues at the
Peel Health Campus. The Minister for Health acknowledged that there had been
some anomalies relating to the billing system and said that that was due to a
misinterpretation of the way in which that system was to operate and, as a
result, the Peel Health Campus had to refund $1.3 million to the public health
department. That is an issue—I do not deny that. The Deputy Leader of
the Opposition, the member for Kwinana, went a lot, lot further. For a start,
he accused the operator of the Peel Health Campus—that is Health
Solutions (WA)—of being corrupt. He accused them of corruption. We know
it is true because in The West Australian this morning appears ''Health campus 'was corrupt'''.
The opening paragraph reads —
The State Opposition has accused
the private operator of the Peel Health Campus of corruption.
To accuse someone or an entity of corruption is a very
serious accusation. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition used parliamentary
privilege to do so. I put to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that it is up
to him now to either prove corruption or to apologise.
Mr
M. McGowan : Wait until the next question!
Mr
R.H. Cook : I have already done that.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Kwinana also made a claim that Health
Solutions, the operator of the Peel Health Campus, had asked the government for
a 60-year extension to the company's contract on the basis that the
company would invest $75 million in more private beds and would return to the
public hospital existing private beds. We all remember that he said it on
several occasions—a 60-year extension. Was he accurate? It sounded a
bit extraordinary to me that the government would contemplate extending a
Health Solutions contract for 60 years.
Mr R.H. Cook : That's
what your minister said.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We will wait and see. We do not necessarily accept what the
member for Kwinana said. What is the truth? Health Solutions initially had a
20year contract. There are five years left on that contract. It sought a
15-year extension to basically renew the 20year time line in exchange for
upgrading facilities in the public hospital and for part of its proposal to
build a private hospital on adjacent government land. It sought a 15-year
extension to its contract. It also asked for a 60-year lease of the land on
which it would build its private hospital. That is just a little different. If
an organisation is going to build a $75 million private hospital at no expense
to the government, it would want about a 60year lease. That is what it sought.
It never sought a 60year extension on its contract. The opposition is 100 per
cent wrong. The opposition could not even get that right. That is what it has
been working on as its big matter of public interest for the past couple of
weeks.
The second part of the question from the member for Jandakot,
which disturbs me far more and I would think would disturb the public of
Western Australia more, relates to material distributed by United Voice. I
referred to this yesterday. I want to refer to it again and remind members —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You hate workers, don't you?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
hate this. I will tell the member why.
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I
remind members that yelling unnecessarily across the chamber is likely to get
me to formally call you to order.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yesterday I referred to a letter received by the member for Swan Hills from a
distressed mother of gravely ill twin three-year-old boys. She referred in that
letter to a pamphlet being distributed under the name of United Voice to
parents and families at the Perth Royal Show. We can imagine the scene of
people from United Voice walking up to family groups at the Royal Show, with
children, I presume, and handing over pamphlets.
Mr R.H. Cook : How
is this different from yesterday's speech?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will tell the member why it is different. On the front of the brochure is a
photo of a young boy in Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, I presume,
with a nurse attending to him. The brochure was authorised by a C. Smith of
United Voice. I do not know C. Smith but I do know that C. Smith is not a
person who tells the truth. Whoever C. Smith is, I hope C. Smith is watching
question time or reads about it.
Mr A.P. O'Gorman interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is her name?
Mr A.P. O'Gorman :
Carolyn Smith.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Carolyn Smith, if you are watching, I hope you are ashamed of what you have
authorised. Members of the Labor Party laugh.
Mr A.J. Waddell :
You guys are the masters of lies.
Withdrawal of Remark
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
I will instruct you to withdraw your last comment.
Mr A.J. Waddell : I
withdraw that they are masters of lies.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the second time
today. I instruct you to withdraw your last comment.
Mr A.J. Waddell : I
withdraw.
Questions
without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
This brochure, with a sick child on the front, would obviously be seen by
parents.
Mr
P.B. Watson : Check what you're putting in letterboxes for your
candidates.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time
today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The part I particularly object to on this brochure is under
the heading ''The new Children's Hospital''. I repeat
what I now know to be Carolyn Smith has authorised. The brochure states —
The new children's hospital
at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Hospital in Nedlands will be privatised by the
Barnett Government.
That is a lie. The operations at
Princess Margaret Hospital—the total staffing, configuration and
management system—will be transferred to the new children's
hospital, the $1.2 billion project. There will be no contracting-out and no
changes. It will operate at the new site as it does at the existing site,
albeit in a new building with new equipment and far better facilities. Carolyn
Smith has authorised a lie to parents.
Members opposite have laughed and
giggled through my answer. I want to place something on the public record.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Ms
J.M. Freeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Nollamara, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : This is a political environment. We are all professional
politicians. Sometimes we go too far. Sometimes we make statements that we
should not have made. This is a prepared and printed pamphlet. What I find most
objectionable about it is not so much that it has been distributed or that it
has a lie on it but I find it most distressing that this union, presumably with
the support of the Labor Party, is preying upon the grave illness of young
children. It is deliberately trying to prey on child sickness and illness to
alarm parents and invite parents to complain to Liberal members of Parliament
and give their address. The member for Midland smiles and laughs. Does she
think it is appropriate to use the illness of children as a political weapon? I
do not think it is appropriate.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : We have got through a few questions. I might be tempted to call it
quits now. I might say it is the end of question time now. I will say it to everybody
in this place.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I conclude. This pamphlet was a flagrant attempt to alarm
parents of children, particularly parents of sick children. It is a blatant
lie. I am writing to the union today, asking it to withdraw this pamphlet and
to publicly apologise to the people of this state, particularly to parents of
sick children. I again give the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to
reject the actions of United Voice and to condemn it as I do. If the Labor
Party suggests it has nothing to do with it, I remind the public of Western
Australia that the Labor Party has its office in the offices of United Voice.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah and member for Cannington, I formally call
both of you to order for the first time today. I do not know what you think you
are trying to achieve.
answer the question, I acknowledge the students and teachers from Austin Cove
Baptist College on behalf of the member for Murray–Wellington. I hope
they are enjoying their visit.
Yesterday the opposition, in particular
the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, moved a motion relating to issues at the
Peel Health Campus. The Minister for Health acknowledged that there had been
some anomalies relating to the billing system and said that that was due to a
misinterpretation of the way in which that system was to operate and, as a
result, the Peel Health Campus had to refund $1.3 million to the public health
department. That is an issue—I do not deny that. The Deputy Leader of
the Opposition, the member for Kwinana, went a lot, lot further. For a start,
he accused the operator of the Peel Health Campus—that is Health
Solutions (WA)—of being corrupt. He accused them of corruption. We know
it is true because in The West Australian this morning appears ''Health campus 'was corrupt'''.
The opening paragraph reads —
The State Opposition has accused
the private operator of the Peel Health Campus of corruption.
To accuse someone or an entity of corruption is a very
serious accusation. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition used parliamentary
privilege to do so. I put to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that it is up
to him now to either prove corruption or to apologise.
Mr
M. McGowan : Wait until the next question!
Mr
R.H. Cook : I have already done that.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Kwinana also made a claim that Health
Solutions, the operator of the Peel Health Campus, had asked the government for
a 60-year extension to the company's contract on the basis that the
company would invest $75 million in more private beds and would return to the
public hospital existing private beds. We all remember that he said it on
several occasions—a 60-year extension. Was he accurate? It sounded a
bit extraordinary to me that the government would contemplate extending a
Health Solutions contract for 60 years.
Mr R.H. Cook : That's
what your minister said.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We will wait and see. We do not necessarily accept what the
member for Kwinana said. What is the truth? Health Solutions initially had a
20year contract. There are five years left on that contract. It sought a
15-year extension to basically renew the 20year time line in exchange for
upgrading facilities in the public hospital and for part of its proposal to
build a private hospital on adjacent government land. It sought a 15-year
extension to its contract. It also asked for a 60-year lease of the land on
which it would build its private hospital. That is just a little different. If
an organisation is going to build a $75 million private hospital at no expense
to the government, it would want about a 60year lease. That is what it sought.
It never sought a 60year extension on its contract. The opposition is 100 per
cent wrong. The opposition could not even get that right. That is what it has
been working on as its big matter of public interest for the past couple of
weeks.
The second part of the question from the member for Jandakot,
which disturbs me far more and I would think would disturb the public of
Western Australia more, relates to material distributed by United Voice. I
referred to this yesterday. I want to refer to it again and remind members —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You hate workers, don't you?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
hate this. I will tell the member why.
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Willagee, I formally call you to order for the second time today. I
remind members that yelling unnecessarily across the chamber is likely to get
me to formally call you to order.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Yesterday I referred to a letter received by the member for Swan Hills from a
distressed mother of gravely ill twin three-year-old boys. She referred in that
letter to a pamphlet being distributed under the name of United Voice to
parents and families at the Perth Royal Show. We can imagine the scene of
people from United Voice walking up to family groups at the Royal Show, with
children, I presume, and handing over pamphlets.
Mr R.H. Cook : How
is this different from yesterday's speech?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will tell the member why it is different. On the front of the brochure is a
photo of a young boy in Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, I presume,
with a nurse attending to him. The brochure was authorised by a C. Smith of
United Voice. I do not know C. Smith but I do know that C. Smith is not a
person who tells the truth. Whoever C. Smith is, I hope C. Smith is watching
question time or reads about it.
Mr A.P. O'Gorman interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is her name?
Mr A.P. O'Gorman :
Carolyn Smith.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Carolyn Smith, if you are watching, I hope you are ashamed of what you have
authorised. Members of the Labor Party laugh.
Mr A.J. Waddell :
You guys are the masters of lies.
Withdrawal of Remark
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
I will instruct you to withdraw your last comment.
Mr A.J. Waddell : I
withdraw that they are masters of lies.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the second time
today. I instruct you to withdraw your last comment.
Mr A.J. Waddell : I
withdraw.
Questions
without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
This brochure, with a sick child on the front, would obviously be seen by
parents.
Mr
P.B. Watson : Check what you're putting in letterboxes for your
candidates.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I formally call you to order for the first time
today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The part I particularly object to on this brochure is under
the heading ''The new Children's Hospital''. I repeat
what I now know to be Carolyn Smith has authorised. The brochure states —
The new children's hospital
at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Hospital in Nedlands will be privatised by the
Barnett Government.
That is a lie. The operations at
Princess Margaret Hospital—the total staffing, configuration and
management system—will be transferred to the new children's
hospital, the $1.2 billion project. There will be no contracting-out and no
changes. It will operate at the new site as it does at the existing site,
albeit in a new building with new equipment and far better facilities. Carolyn
Smith has authorised a lie to parents.
Members opposite have laughed and
giggled through my answer. I want to place something on the public record.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Ms
J.M. Freeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Nollamara, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : This is a political environment. We are all professional
politicians. Sometimes we go too far. Sometimes we make statements that we
should not have made. This is a prepared and printed pamphlet. What I find most
objectionable about it is not so much that it has been distributed or that it
has a lie on it but I find it most distressing that this union, presumably with
the support of the Labor Party, is preying upon the grave illness of young
children. It is deliberately trying to prey on child sickness and illness to
alarm parents and invite parents to complain to Liberal members of Parliament
and give their address. The member for Midland smiles and laughs. Does she
think it is appropriate to use the illness of children as a political weapon? I
do not think it is appropriate.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : We have got through a few questions. I might be tempted to call it
quits now. I might say it is the end of question time now. I will say it to everybody
in this place.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I conclude. This pamphlet was a flagrant attempt to alarm
parents of children, particularly parents of sick children. It is a blatant
lie. I am writing to the union today, asking it to withdraw this pamphlet and
to publicly apologise to the people of this state, particularly to parents of
sick children. I again give the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to
reject the actions of United Voice and to condemn it as I do. If the Labor
Party suggests it has nothing to do with it, I remind the public of Western
Australia that the Labor Party has its office in the offices of United Voice.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah and member for Cannington, I formally call
both of you to order for the first time today. I do not know what you think you
are trying to achieve.
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