❓ Ms MacTiernan questions cuts to child health nurses in Armadale despite developmental vulnerability and increasing birth rates. Minister Hames denies cuts, cites chronic underfunding by the previous government, and discusses funding responsibilities with the Commonwealth.
AnsweredQoN 318Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ARMADALE CHILD HEALTH SERVICE NURSES
(1) Can the minister explain why the number of full-time equivalent child health nurses in the Armadale district has been cut by 20 per cent when so many children in that area have been assessed as developmentally vulnerable in the Australian Early Development Index? (2) Is the minister aware that this cut is being made despite the fact that birth notifications in the district are increasing by around five per cent per annum? (3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES
(1) Can the minister explain why the number of full-time equivalent child health nurses in the Armadale district has been cut by 20 per cent when so many children in that area have been assessed as developmentally vulnerable in the Australian Early Development Index? (2) Is the minister aware that this cut is being made despite the fact that birth notifications in the district are increasing by around five per cent per annum? (3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(2) Is the minister aware that this cut is being made despite the fact that birth notifications in the district are increasing by around five per cent per annum? (3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(2) Is the minister aware that this cut is being made despite the fact that birth notifications in the district are increasing by around five per cent per annum? (3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(3) Is the minister aware that these cuts will mean the abandonment of vital early intervention programs, such as antenatal visits to high-risk mothers, the 18-month to three-year-old checkups for children and the liaison visits to day care? Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Several members interjected. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This is an incredibly serious matter. I find it extraordinary that members on the government side of the house are trivialising this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : Members to my right should remain silent; I want to hear the question. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : The question continues — (4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(4) Most importantly, when will the minister do something to increase the number of child health nurses across this state and restore a decent postnatal health service to the mothers and babies in this state? The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : Minister you might be asked some of those questions as supplementary questions, but I ask you to answer the question. Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
I will try, Mr Speaker. Luckily my staff managed to whip this little sheet of paper for me. Given I have declared it, I will need to table it so the member can read it herself later. As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
As we know, the member for Alfred Cove chaired a committee looking into the issue of childcare services in this state — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : It is not child care? Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : It was child health care services in this state. Her committee found what had been asserted for a long time by Hon Barbara Scott, a former member of the upper house; that is, there had been totally inadequate investment in this state in the whole range of child health care services, including services such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists, and the child health clinic nurses. That whole area was significantly short of staff. On coming into government we committed to doing something about this chronic neglect that had occurred, particularly during the member’s eight years in government when she was a minister. It is not something that happened overnight. In her eight years as minister, obviously, she did not look after her local area very well. I have had considerable discussions with Hon Nicola Roxon about the responsibilities for providing health services in this state. As part of the discussions we have had with all the other ministers, we are trying to make a determination about what is funded and how. The responsibilities in this area are quite clear. State governments fund public hospital services and the commonwealth government funds primary health care services—doctors and the like. However, the state has had to get more and more into the sphere of providing increasing levels of state government services. Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Mr T.G. Stephens : You did not mind criticising the last state government. The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
The SPEAKER : A long series of questions have been asked. I am expecting some answers and I am getting some. I am sure the member for Armadale is getting some but not all the ones she wants. There are processes in this place. I suggest all members in this place give the minister an opportunity to answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The point I am trying to make is that we have been having discussions with the commonwealth about what funding should go into that particular area about which I have expressed some concern—funding of child health nurses and services. I requested the federal government, as part of that package, to fund services to those exact services the member asked about—school nurses and the school clinics. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We are not talking about school nurses. Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : We were about to fund the child clinic services, physiotherapists, speech therapists and the like. The commonwealth said it would like to fund the services we are funding. I will be having further discussions with the commonwealth to see how we arrange the joint commonwealth and state funding to make sure we increase those services. As was pointed out by the member for Alfred Cove, there has been a significant need in those areas. I will answer the specific questions the member asked. (1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
(1)–(4) There have been no cuts to child health care nurse numbers in the metropolitan area. Child health nurses may occasionally — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : That was not my question; it was the FTEs in Armadale. Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The issue is that there is a desperate need for an increase in a whole range of services to children in those parts of Western Australia. This state government is spending $50 million—an unprecedented amount—to address that need and we will continue to make sure we address those needs. One of the particular areas of concern to the member for Armadale previously was speech therapists in the Armadale area where waiting times had blown out. Under our new funding package there will be a significant increase in funding for the member for Armadale’s electorate that will cut those waiting times by more than half. Similar reductions to waiting times will occur in that range of services because of the $50 million we committed in this current budget.
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