❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health's awareness of ICT procurement problems within the Department of Health prior to 2014, specifically referencing issues at Fiona Stanley Hospital and the patient administration system. The Minister deflects, accusing Mr. Cook of selective memory and highlighting other health initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 36Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH — INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY —COST BLOWOUTS
36. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the minister's claim yesterday that he only became
aware of problems with information and communications technology procurement in
the Department of Health in 2014 when the acting director general referred
matters to the Auditor General.
(1) Is it not true that the minister has been
aware of the extensive problems in the Health Information Network, including
through the extensive ICT problems at Fiona Stanley Hospital in December 2012
and the problems with the procurement of the patient administration system, as
detailed by the Auditor General in October 2010?
(2) If so, why did the minister not act to remedy the problems back
then?
(3) If the minister had acted, is it not true
that the cost overruns now experienced in the central computing services
contract would never have occurred?
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY —COST BLOWOUTS
36. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the minister's claim yesterday that he only became
aware of problems with information and communications technology procurement in
the Department of Health in 2014 when the acting director general referred
matters to the Auditor General.
(1) Is it not true that the minister has been
aware of the extensive problems in the Health Information Network, including
through the extensive ICT problems at Fiona Stanley Hospital in December 2012
and the problems with the procurement of the patient administration system, as
detailed by the Auditor General in October 2010?
(2) If so, why did the minister not act to remedy the problems back
then?
(3) If the minister had acted, is it not true
that the cost overruns now experienced in the central computing services
contract would never have occurred?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The member clearly has a selective
memory on the things I have said. When we were talking yesterday about when I became
aware, the member was clearly referring to the details I provided today about
the $7.5 billion overrun and the $44 million of unauthorised expenditure in the
area of ICT. That is what the member referred to and that is what I answered
when I said that I became aware of it in 2014. I do not know whether the member
listened to my earlier speech about those other issues, but I clearly referred
in detail to what I did during that time and the changes we put in place since
those early times of finding problems in ICT . You guys are operating with blinkered vision
or tunnel vision. We just heard the Leader of the National Party; Minister for
Regional Development go through the massive changes we have made in country
health in particular, through the Southern Inland Health Initiative and other
systems. We have made major investments in things like Silver Chain, the Royal
Flying Doctor Service and the patient assisted travel scheme. That was a
massive amount of money—about $150 million.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : It is hard to answer your question when you're asking
another one.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : We put $150 million into childcare services around the state,
school health, paediatricians and speech pathologists.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I have been very lenient on you, member for Albany. Minister, I want
you to come back to the germane part of the answer.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Thanks, Mr Speaker. I have answered the germane part of the
question.
memory on the things I have said. When we were talking yesterday about when I became
aware, the member was clearly referring to the details I provided today about
the $7.5 billion overrun and the $44 million of unauthorised expenditure in the
area of ICT. That is what the member referred to and that is what I answered
when I said that I became aware of it in 2014. I do not know whether the member
listened to my earlier speech about those other issues, but I clearly referred
in detail to what I did during that time and the changes we put in place since
those early times of finding problems in ICT . You guys are operating with blinkered vision
or tunnel vision. We just heard the Leader of the National Party; Minister for
Regional Development go through the massive changes we have made in country
health in particular, through the Southern Inland Health Initiative and other
systems. We have made major investments in things like Silver Chain, the Royal
Flying Doctor Service and the patient assisted travel scheme. That was a
massive amount of money—about $150 million.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : It is hard to answer your question when you're asking
another one.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : We put $150 million into childcare services around the state,
school health, paediatricians and speech pathologists.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I have been very lenient on you, member for Albany. Minister, I want
you to come back to the germane part of the answer.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Thanks, Mr Speaker. I have answered the germane part of the
question.
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