❓ The Premier addresses concerns about healthcare access amidst WA's population growth, highlighting investments in infrastructure, staffing, and a new women's and babies' hospital, while criticising alternative proposals.
AnsweredQoN 608Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COOK GOVERNMENT — INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS —
HEALTH
608. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
unprecedented pipeline of works to cater for Western Australia's
growing population.
(1) Can the
Premier outline how this government will ensure that Western Australians will
continue to have access to quality health care?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how this government will provide women and babies with
a brand new hospital sooner rather than later?
HEALTH
608. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
unprecedented pipeline of works to cater for Western Australia's
growing population.
(1) Can the
Premier outline how this government will ensure that Western Australians will
continue to have access to quality health care?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how this government will provide women and babies with
a brand new hospital sooner rather than later?
AnswerView source ↗
I add my welcome to Hon Leon
Bignell, MP, from South Australia. Regrettably, he is no longer a member of the Labor Party, but I understand that is the
way they roll South Australia, which is an unusual thing. Mr Deputy Speaker ,
I ask you not to take on the same protocols as they have in South Australia!
(1)–(2) Within
a few months, Western Australia's population is expected to reach three
million. We have the fastest-growing population in the country with the
fastest-growing economy. Although we welcome this growth, it adds pressure to
frontline services and key infrastructure. For this reason, the government is
investing significantly in education infrastructure and, of course, housing and
health.
We have added thousands of doctors
and nurses to our payroll, and they continue to provide world-class health care
for the people of Western Australia. We are upgrading hospitals everywhere,
from the farthest reaches of our state to right here in Perth. Yesterday, I joined
the Minister for Health and local members from Balcatta and Scarborough at
Osborne Park Hospital. That hospital is a great example of my government's
commitment to continuing to fund health care and ensure that we have the best
facilities for our doctors and nurses to
practice in. The hospital has been serving our community in the inner north since
1962. The staff do an incredible job. They treat over 95 000 patients a year
and deliver over 1 500 babies each year.
Under our plan, with the new $1.8 billion
women's and babies' hospital, we will expand the capacity at
Osborne Park Hospital. That will include the announcement that we made
yesterday for a new mothers' and babies' unit to support mental
health for expectant and new mothers in the northern suburbs. The unit will
provide specialist care for women experiencing mental health problems from late
pregnancy until their baby is walking. Those
services will include psychiatry, GP services, nursing and allied health
support . Importantly, it will mean
that women can be admitted with their babies so that they are not separated at that
important time. The unit is a major part of our expansion of women's
and newborns' services at Osborne Park Hospital. The expansion will
provide capacity for doubling the number of births at the hospital and builds
on the upgrades we delivered in 2022, including a new maternity assessment, a new
16-bed rehabilitation unit, 10 additional beds and a 30-bed modular unit.
All this forms part of our vision for
a massive pipeline of works to boost health and mental health in Western Australia.
We are taking unprecedented measures and using innovative procurement methods
to attract companies to build our regional hospitals. We are putting more funds
on the table than ever before to get the job done. We have shown that we are
prepared to make the tough decisions for the health of our community. It does not matter whether someone is from Tom Price,
Paraburdoo, Geraldton or Bunbury and everywhere else across the state,
including Perth, we are making sure that we get the hospitals that our doctors
and nurses need to provide world-class health care.
The new women's and babies'
hospital is a clear example of that. Our population is growing. It is growing
fast. It is growing faster than any other state. The homework on the new women's
and babies' hospital has been completed. We are going to stay the
course. We cannot afford to delay any longer. We cannot afford to pursue an
unworkable option that will disrupt patients, staff and the community by trying
to develop it at the QEII site. Most of all, we cannot afford to listen to the
opportunists who continue to pedal misinformation that it represents a risk to
patients. This actually represents a major lift in women's and babies'
services. It means that we will have a world-class tertiary women's and
babies' hospital at the Murdoch precinct and an expansion of maternity
services at Osborne Park Hospital, including the women's and babies'
unit. It means we will continue to have high-risk births in the northern
suburbs of Western Australia as part of the reconfiguration of services. Those
opposite say that it represents a risk; we say it represents an opportunity for
this state to step forward with world-class health care and hospitals and continuing
to make Western Australia a great place to live.
Visitors — Roleystone Community College
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Before I
give you the call, Leader of the Liberal Party, on behalf of the member for
Darling Range, I welcome principal Mark Brookes, associate principal Michael
Burns and the student leaders from Roleystone Community College in the gallery
today. Welcome!
Bignell, MP, from South Australia. Regrettably, he is no longer a member of the Labor Party, but I understand that is the
way they roll South Australia, which is an unusual thing. Mr Deputy Speaker ,
I ask you not to take on the same protocols as they have in South Australia!
(1)–(2) Within
a few months, Western Australia's population is expected to reach three
million. We have the fastest-growing population in the country with the
fastest-growing economy. Although we welcome this growth, it adds pressure to
frontline services and key infrastructure. For this reason, the government is
investing significantly in education infrastructure and, of course, housing and
health.
We have added thousands of doctors
and nurses to our payroll, and they continue to provide world-class health care
for the people of Western Australia. We are upgrading hospitals everywhere,
from the farthest reaches of our state to right here in Perth. Yesterday, I joined
the Minister for Health and local members from Balcatta and Scarborough at
Osborne Park Hospital. That hospital is a great example of my government's
commitment to continuing to fund health care and ensure that we have the best
facilities for our doctors and nurses to
practice in. The hospital has been serving our community in the inner north since
1962. The staff do an incredible job. They treat over 95 000 patients a year
and deliver over 1 500 babies each year.
Under our plan, with the new $1.8 billion
women's and babies' hospital, we will expand the capacity at
Osborne Park Hospital. That will include the announcement that we made
yesterday for a new mothers' and babies' unit to support mental
health for expectant and new mothers in the northern suburbs. The unit will
provide specialist care for women experiencing mental health problems from late
pregnancy until their baby is walking. Those
services will include psychiatry, GP services, nursing and allied health
support . Importantly, it will mean
that women can be admitted with their babies so that they are not separated at that
important time. The unit is a major part of our expansion of women's
and newborns' services at Osborne Park Hospital. The expansion will
provide capacity for doubling the number of births at the hospital and builds
on the upgrades we delivered in 2022, including a new maternity assessment, a new
16-bed rehabilitation unit, 10 additional beds and a 30-bed modular unit.
All this forms part of our vision for
a massive pipeline of works to boost health and mental health in Western Australia.
We are taking unprecedented measures and using innovative procurement methods
to attract companies to build our regional hospitals. We are putting more funds
on the table than ever before to get the job done. We have shown that we are
prepared to make the tough decisions for the health of our community. It does not matter whether someone is from Tom Price,
Paraburdoo, Geraldton or Bunbury and everywhere else across the state,
including Perth, we are making sure that we get the hospitals that our doctors
and nurses need to provide world-class health care.
The new women's and babies'
hospital is a clear example of that. Our population is growing. It is growing
fast. It is growing faster than any other state. The homework on the new women's
and babies' hospital has been completed. We are going to stay the
course. We cannot afford to delay any longer. We cannot afford to pursue an
unworkable option that will disrupt patients, staff and the community by trying
to develop it at the QEII site. Most of all, we cannot afford to listen to the
opportunists who continue to pedal misinformation that it represents a risk to
patients. This actually represents a major lift in women's and babies'
services. It means that we will have a world-class tertiary women's and
babies' hospital at the Murdoch precinct and an expansion of maternity
services at Osborne Park Hospital, including the women's and babies'
unit. It means we will continue to have high-risk births in the northern
suburbs of Western Australia as part of the reconfiguration of services. Those
opposite say that it represents a risk; we say it represents an opportunity for
this state to step forward with world-class health care and hospitals and continuing
to make Western Australia a great place to live.
Visitors — Roleystone Community College
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Before I
give you the call, Leader of the Liberal Party, on behalf of the member for
Darling Range, I welcome principal Mark Brookes, associate principal Michael
Burns and the student leaders from Roleystone Community College in the gallery
today. Welcome!
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