❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding a senior colleague's comment on the non-functioning Osborne Park Hospital neonatal ward. The Minister defends the government's approach to future-proofing hospital infrastructure, criticising the previous government's handling of Perth Children's Hospital.
AnsweredQoN 275Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OSBORNE PARK HOSPITAL — NEONATAL UNIT
275. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
What does the minister say to her senior ministerial colleague who said that
the non-functioning Osborne Park Hospital neonatal ward was not a good look?
275. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
What does the minister say to her senior ministerial colleague who said that
the non-functioning Osborne Park Hospital neonatal ward was not a good look?
AnswerView source ↗
Madam Speaker —
A member interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : It is silly
for you to make comments like that in the Parliament when you purport to be a serious player and leader in health and you want
to seriously respect the health sector. It is silly, and playing silly politics.
We are serious about delivering
expanded birthing services and neonatal services across the state, and that is
what our recent announcement demonstrated. When a minister is asked in a press
conference about something that is entirely out of their portfolio, that is
challenging. We do not shell train lines or train stations, so in the prism of
transport, it probably is not a good look, but in health, we do shell wards.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, that is a standard procedure.
Shelling wards and futureproofing has happened over decades. If the member had
any depth of knowledge of this sector, she would know that. We do shell in
health because when we build multibillion-dollar assets, we need to make sure
that they are fit for the future. We saw what happened with Perth Children's
Hospital when it was not futureproofed. It is two floors too short, and that
happened under the Liberal–National government. It refused to budge.
Even with the new information and the new modelling, the former Liberal–National
government with Colin Barnett and Kim Hames refused to budge. We are not that
government. When we get new information, we will absolutely act on it and make
sure that we are building a health system for the future.
A member interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : It is silly
for you to make comments like that in the Parliament when you purport to be a serious player and leader in health and you want
to seriously respect the health sector. It is silly, and playing silly politics.
We are serious about delivering
expanded birthing services and neonatal services across the state, and that is
what our recent announcement demonstrated. When a minister is asked in a press
conference about something that is entirely out of their portfolio, that is
challenging. We do not shell train lines or train stations, so in the prism of
transport, it probably is not a good look, but in health, we do shell wards.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, that is a standard procedure.
Shelling wards and futureproofing has happened over decades. If the member had
any depth of knowledge of this sector, she would know that. We do shell in
health because when we build multibillion-dollar assets, we need to make sure
that they are fit for the future. We saw what happened with Perth Children's
Hospital when it was not futureproofed. It is two floors too short, and that
happened under the Liberal–National government. It refused to budge.
Even with the new information and the new modelling, the former Liberal–National
government with Colin Barnett and Kim Hames refused to budge. We are not that
government. When we get new information, we will absolutely act on it and make
sure that we are building a health system for the future.
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