❓ Question concerns the Minister's responsibility for regional development policy implementation, specifically regarding potential downgrading of hospital services in Dumbleyung. The Minister deflects by referencing previous government decisions and highlighting proximity to other hospitals.
AnsweredQoN 1559Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to his media statement released on 12 November about the Government’s regional development policy entitled “Regional Western Australia: A Better Place to Live”. (1) Is the minister responsible for the oversight of the implementation of the policy across all government agencies? (2) Has the minister made representations to the Minister for Health over plans to downgrade hospital services in Dumbleyung; and, if so, what was the health minister’s response? (3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(1) Is the minister responsible for the oversight of the implementation of the policy across all government agencies? (2) Has the minister made representations to the Minister for Health over plans to downgrade hospital services in Dumbleyung; and, if so, what was the health minister’s response? (3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(2) Has the minister made representations to the Minister for Health over plans to downgrade hospital services in Dumbleyung; and, if so, what was the health minister’s response? (3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(1) Is the minister responsible for the oversight of the implementation of the policy across all government agencies? (2) Has the minister made representations to the Minister for Health over plans to downgrade hospital services in Dumbleyung; and, if so, what was the health minister’s response? (3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(2) Has the minister made representations to the Minister for Health over plans to downgrade hospital services in Dumbleyung; and, if so, what was the health minister’s response? (3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(3) If not, why did the minister fail to promote regional development by not arguing for the maintenance of a regional health service? (4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(4) How does the minister reconcile the public claims that the aim of the new regional development policy is, among other things, to provide better health services to regional communities with the regular announcements of country health services being cut? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(1) I have a significant role in the implementation of the policy. The Cabinet Standing Committee on Regional Policy, which includes the Premier and other regional ministers such as the Leader of the House, also has a significant role in the implementation of this policy. Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Norman Moore: You should be embarrassed then. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: The Leader of the Opposition should just sit there for a minute; we will talk about who will be embarrassed in a minute. The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The standing committee will consider an implementation progress report each year. My department and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet will coordinate preparation of this report. A regional policy implementation steering committee will be established to review progress and oversee preparation of the report. This committee will include directors general and other heads of government agencies that have major roles in implementing the policy. (2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(2) No. It is my understanding that the proposal that will be discussed with the Dumbleyung community is to reconfigure staffing levels at the hospital to more adequately reflect the downgrading of services that took place in 1998 as a decision - Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: Who was in government in 1998? Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I think that the now Leader of the Opposition was in government at that time. Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: Surely not! Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: That decision was made in the previous Government’s term in office. Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Peter Foss: So you are not accepting responsibility for it? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Yes, we are. We are accepting responsibility to reconfigure the staffing levels. The Opposition needs to know that since 1998, that hospital has not had one medical admission. That hospital does not have one medical patient. Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Kim Chance: I bet it was very efficient though! Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon Norman Moore: Since when? Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Since 1998 it has not had one medical admission. Does the Leader of the Opposition realise - The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! We are beginning to sound more and more like another place and we do not want to go down that road. Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: My answer continues - (3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
(3) I am told that the hospital at Dumbleyung is within 25 to 35 minutes of four other hospitals. Wagin District Hospital is 39 kilometres to the west, Katanning District Hospital is 53 kilometres to the south, Narrogin Regional Hospital is 88 kilometres to the north west, and Lake Grace District Hospital is 79 kilometres to the east. This question was asked of me by a member for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Well might he be embarrassed by his question. An article headed “A man full of promise” about the current Leader of the Opposition, Colin Barnett - The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: I am orderly; they are the ones who are disorderly. The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: Minister, this appears suspiciously like poetry to me. I cannot see its relevance to the question. Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
Hon TOM STEPHENS: It is very relevant. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barnett, is reported in this week’s Broome Advertiser as saying - Wyndham hospital is now too large and expensive to operate. He seems to be advocating for exactly the same thing about which the member opposite is complaining and which his Government did in 1998 when it downgraded the Dumbleyung hospital, leaving it with 31 staff. Point of Order Hon NORMAN MOORE: I think that your suggestion, Mr President, that this is degenerating into a poem arrangement is quite right. The Wyndham hospital has nothing to do with the question I asked, which was about the Dumbleyung hospital. The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
The PRESIDENT: I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition for his second question. Questions without Notice Resumed
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