❓ Ms. Rowe questions the Minister for Health on the progress of the new women's and babies' hospital in Murdoch and potential risks. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's commitment to the project and criticising the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 171Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WOMEN'S AND
BABIES' HOSPITAL
171. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
delivery of a new women's and babies' hospital in Murdoch.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of this important hospital, as well
as new and expanded maternity and neonatology services at both Perth Children's
Hospital and Osborne Park Hospital?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on whether she is aware of any risks to the delivery
of the new women's and babies' hospital for women in WA?
Dr D.J. Honey : Talk about
recycling questions!
A government member : You're
one to talk!
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
BABIES' HOSPITAL
171. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
delivery of a new women's and babies' hospital in Murdoch.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery of this important hospital, as well
as new and expanded maternity and neonatology services at both Perth Children's
Hospital and Osborne Park Hospital?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on whether she is aware of any risks to the delivery
of the new women's and babies' hospital for women in WA?
Dr D.J. Honey : Talk about
recycling questions!
A government member : You're
one to talk!
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Jeez—talk
about recycling; there is the pot calling the kettle black!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I thank the member for Belmont for her question. I
am very glad to talk about maternity services in Western Australia. Members
know that is probably one of my favourite topics to talk about, and all the
fantastic work that has occurred under this government, the Labor state
government, since coming to government in 2017. I am very, very proud to be the
Minister for Health under this government, which will be delivering a brand new
women's and newborns' hospital
at the Murdoch campus, as well as expanding maternity services at Osborne Park
Hospital and neonatologist services at Perth Children's
Hospital.
We all know that King Edward
Memorial Hospital for Women is 100 years old. It is well past its use-by date,
and the government is committed to delivering a replacement for this hospital.
It cannot wait, the staff at King Eddy's cannot wait, and the women who
use King Edward's and the families who use King Edward's cannot
wait. That is why we are investing in the
safest option to deliver a maternity hospital for Western Australians. When it
comes to reproductive choices, it is
this government that has expanded reproductive choices for women in Western Australia. It is only this government. We know what the opposition members will do with
their preselection of far-right candidates. They want to close off reproductive
rights for women, and you know it!
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : You know it!
We
have expanded midwifery group practices in Armadale, Bridgetown, Broome,
Bunbury and Collie and at Fiona Stanley Hospital, King Edward's,
Margaret River Hospital, Northam Health Service and Warren Health Service.
There is lots of strong evidence around the continuity of care that midwifery
group practice provides for women pre-birth, during birth and post birth. We
have delivered waterbirthing facilities in Broome Hospital and provided an
outdoor space for women to labour. This government is the only party of
government that is committed to delivering the women's and newborns'
hospital at Murdoch.
We know that the Leader of the
Liberal Party has been on quite a journey with this hospital. We have heard her disparaging and disdainful comments about
the clinicians at Fiona Stanley Hospital—the neonatologists who support the building of this hospital. She has talked a lot about taking advice when it
comes to this hospital. In the estimates committee last year, she called on the
state government to have the decision to relocate the women's and
newborns' hospital reviewed by Infrastructure WA, so we did. We had the
decision reviewed by Infrastructure WA. She then called that review, because it did not say what she wanted to say, ''political
trickery''—disrespecting an independent office of
experts.
Dr D.J. Honey : That was a disgrace.
Ms A. SANDERSON : The member
for Cottesloe is calling them a disgrace.
Dr D.J. Honey : I said it in here
that that was a disgrace, that report.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : She then accused the
director general of Health, who had previously commissioned Fiona Stanley Hospital, of providing advice the
government wants to hear. Now, I know that he briefed her personally on
this project. We have been incredibly transparent about this project. We have
released the business case and the project definition plan that underlined the
reasoning for the decision for us to relocate that hospital. Because of the
significance, we were absolutely transparent. The director general briefed the
Leader of the Liberal Party personally, and he said to her, ''If you
were the Minister for Health, I would give you exactly the same advice. You
cannot build this hospital here.'' But she is going to completely ignore
that advice. Imagine a minister who totally disregards all the advice of
government, but knows better.
When
asked on 15 February whether she would tear up the contract signed by the Labor
Party, she said, '' Absolutely.'' She would tear up
contracts; therefore, what is the Leader of the Liberal Party's plan?
Ms L. Mettam : A world-class
site.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms A. SANDERSON : What is the
plan for maternity services? Which buildings in Queen Elizabeth II Medical
Centre does she plan to knock down to build the women's and newborns'
hospital? Which outpatient services at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will she
suspend? How will staff and visitors access the campus during construction?
Where will they park?
Ms L. Mettam : And will it be
a world-class facility?
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Which
elective surgery —
Ms L. Mettam : Yes! Yes, it
will.
Ms A. SANDERSON : The member
for Vasse has a lot to say —
The SPEAKER : I am hoping that
the member for Vasse does not have the next question.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Madam
Speaker, where will they park? Which elective surgeries will the Leader of the
Liberal Party cancel during the construction? There is only one location where
it can be built safely, and that is on the Fiona Stanley Hospital campus. Her
partners in opposition—are you partners? I do not know—cannot
agree on who goes to a press conference, so I cannot imagine that they could
agree on something as important as where to build a maternity hospital. The
Nationals WA members have been conspicuously quiet on this issue. They have
been conspicuously quiet because they know that this is a good decision for
regional women coming in off the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We know that the
member for Vasse would scrap that location, which is better for regional women —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : She would
scrap the expansion at Osborne Park Hospital. She would trash the independent
assessment from IWA. She cannot explain how she will deliver that women's
and newborns' hospital —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : — and
the Nationals are completely silent. She has no plan for maternity services in Western
Australia. The only plan she has is to tear up the plan.
The SPEAKER : Member for Vasse,
question time is at the discretion of the Speaker. That is the way it is and
the way it has always been. When I give you
advice to cease interjecting, I expect you to cease interjecting, because it is incessant and repetitive. I gave you a warning that I hoped you did not have
the next question. You then interjected twice more on a question that you had
not asked. This is the last occasion that I am going to let you ask a question
after you have behaved in that way—a way that no other member of this
chamber does.
about recycling; there is the pot calling the kettle black!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
Ms A. SANDERSON : I thank the member for Belmont for her question. I
am very glad to talk about maternity services in Western Australia. Members
know that is probably one of my favourite topics to talk about, and all the
fantastic work that has occurred under this government, the Labor state
government, since coming to government in 2017. I am very, very proud to be the
Minister for Health under this government, which will be delivering a brand new
women's and newborns' hospital
at the Murdoch campus, as well as expanding maternity services at Osborne Park
Hospital and neonatologist services at Perth Children's
Hospital.
We all know that King Edward
Memorial Hospital for Women is 100 years old. It is well past its use-by date,
and the government is committed to delivering a replacement for this hospital.
It cannot wait, the staff at King Eddy's cannot wait, and the women who
use King Edward's and the families who use King Edward's cannot
wait. That is why we are investing in the
safest option to deliver a maternity hospital for Western Australians. When it
comes to reproductive choices, it is
this government that has expanded reproductive choices for women in Western Australia. It is only this government. We know what the opposition members will do with
their preselection of far-right candidates. They want to close off reproductive
rights for women, and you know it!
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : You know it!
We
have expanded midwifery group practices in Armadale, Bridgetown, Broome,
Bunbury and Collie and at Fiona Stanley Hospital, King Edward's,
Margaret River Hospital, Northam Health Service and Warren Health Service.
There is lots of strong evidence around the continuity of care that midwifery
group practice provides for women pre-birth, during birth and post birth. We
have delivered waterbirthing facilities in Broome Hospital and provided an
outdoor space for women to labour. This government is the only party of
government that is committed to delivering the women's and newborns'
hospital at Murdoch.
We know that the Leader of the
Liberal Party has been on quite a journey with this hospital. We have heard her disparaging and disdainful comments about
the clinicians at Fiona Stanley Hospital—the neonatologists who support the building of this hospital. She has talked a lot about taking advice when it
comes to this hospital. In the estimates committee last year, she called on the
state government to have the decision to relocate the women's and
newborns' hospital reviewed by Infrastructure WA, so we did. We had the
decision reviewed by Infrastructure WA. She then called that review, because it did not say what she wanted to say, ''political
trickery''—disrespecting an independent office of
experts.
Dr D.J. Honey : That was a disgrace.
Ms A. SANDERSON : The member
for Cottesloe is calling them a disgrace.
Dr D.J. Honey : I said it in here
that that was a disgrace, that report.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : She then accused the
director general of Health, who had previously commissioned Fiona Stanley Hospital, of providing advice the
government wants to hear. Now, I know that he briefed her personally on
this project. We have been incredibly transparent about this project. We have
released the business case and the project definition plan that underlined the
reasoning for the decision for us to relocate that hospital. Because of the
significance, we were absolutely transparent. The director general briefed the
Leader of the Liberal Party personally, and he said to her, ''If you
were the Minister for Health, I would give you exactly the same advice. You
cannot build this hospital here.'' But she is going to completely ignore
that advice. Imagine a minister who totally disregards all the advice of
government, but knows better.
When
asked on 15 February whether she would tear up the contract signed by the Labor
Party, she said, '' Absolutely.'' She would tear up
contracts; therefore, what is the Leader of the Liberal Party's plan?
Ms L. Mettam : A world-class
site.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Ms A. SANDERSON : What is the
plan for maternity services? Which buildings in Queen Elizabeth II Medical
Centre does she plan to knock down to build the women's and newborns'
hospital? Which outpatient services at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will she
suspend? How will staff and visitors access the campus during construction?
Where will they park?
Ms L. Mettam : And will it be
a world-class facility?
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Which
elective surgery —
Ms L. Mettam : Yes! Yes, it
will.
Ms A. SANDERSON : The member
for Vasse has a lot to say —
The SPEAKER : I am hoping that
the member for Vasse does not have the next question.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Madam
Speaker, where will they park? Which elective surgeries will the Leader of the
Liberal Party cancel during the construction? There is only one location where
it can be built safely, and that is on the Fiona Stanley Hospital campus. Her
partners in opposition—are you partners? I do not know—cannot
agree on who goes to a press conference, so I cannot imagine that they could
agree on something as important as where to build a maternity hospital. The
Nationals WA members have been conspicuously quiet on this issue. They have
been conspicuously quiet because they know that this is a good decision for
regional women coming in off the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We know that the
member for Vasse would scrap that location, which is better for regional women —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : She would
scrap the expansion at Osborne Park Hospital. She would trash the independent
assessment from IWA. She cannot explain how she will deliver that women's
and newborns' hospital —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms A. SANDERSON : — and
the Nationals are completely silent. She has no plan for maternity services in Western
Australia. The only plan she has is to tear up the plan.
The SPEAKER : Member for Vasse,
question time is at the discretion of the Speaker. That is the way it is and
the way it has always been. When I give you
advice to cease interjecting, I expect you to cease interjecting, because it is incessant and repetitive. I gave you a warning that I hoped you did not have
the next question. You then interjected twice more on a question that you had
not asked. This is the last occasion that I am going to let you ask a question
after you have behaved in that way—a way that no other member of this
chamber does.
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