❓ Dr Hames questions the Minister's ability to manage two portfolios, suggesting he step aside from one to focus on health system improvements. The Minister defends his work ethic and highlights government investments in healthcare infrastructure and improvements in cancer treatment waiting times.
AnsweredQoN 241Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SHEILA FRITH - STATE CORONER’S FINDINGS
I have a supplementary question. Given the minister’s clear inability or unwillingness to commit time to his two portfolios, will he stand aside from his other position so that he can pay adequate attention to restoring operational effectiveness and confidence in our health system? Mr J.A. McGINTY
I have a supplementary question. Given the minister’s clear inability or unwillingness to commit time to his two portfolios, will he stand aside from his other position so that he can pay adequate attention to restoring operational effectiveness and confidence in our health system? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker, I make the point that those sorts of observations are generally made by people who lack a decent work ethic and who cannot comprehend the fact that other people can get on with doing things that they are capable of performing at a higher level than perhaps someone in the relative comfort of opposition. I make this point: hospitals deal with hundreds of thousands of people every year and from time to time there will be somebody waiting too long for surgery or somebody slipping through the safety net in question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: Mr Speaker, I make the point that those sorts of observations are generally made by people who lack a decent work ethic and who cannot comprehend the fact that other people can get on with doing things that they are capable of performing at a higher level than perhaps someone in the relative comfort of opposition. I make this point: hospitals deal with hundreds of thousands of people every year and from time to time there will be somebody waiting too long for surgery or somebody slipping through the safety net in question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr Speaker, I make the point that those sorts of observations are generally made by people who lack a decent work ethic and who cannot comprehend the fact that other people can get on with doing things that they are capable of performing at a higher level than perhaps someone in the relative comfort of opposition. I make this point: hospitals deal with hundreds of thousands of people every year and from time to time there will be somebody waiting too long for surgery or somebody slipping through the safety net in question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: Mr Speaker, I make the point that those sorts of observations are generally made by people who lack a decent work ethic and who cannot comprehend the fact that other people can get on with doing things that they are capable of performing at a higher level than perhaps someone in the relative comfort of opposition. I make this point: hospitals deal with hundreds of thousands of people every year and from time to time there will be somebody waiting too long for surgery or somebody slipping through the safety net in question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr Speaker, I make the point that those sorts of observations are generally made by people who lack a decent work ethic and who cannot comprehend the fact that other people can get on with doing things that they are capable of performing at a higher level than perhaps someone in the relative comfort of opposition. I make this point: hospitals deal with hundreds of thousands of people every year and from time to time there will be somebody waiting too long for surgery or somebody slipping through the safety net in question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I am determined to make sure that the systems that underpin the operation of our public hospital system are correct. The government has drawn in a massive, unprecedented amount of money to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our hospitals. We will rebuild hospitals the length and breadth of the state. The Fiona Stanley Hospital is, of course, the flagship, but there are many others that make up part of that. Do members remember a time when there were long waiting lists for people to receive treatment and diagnoses for cancer? The cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has now substantially dealt with that issue - for example, people waiting six months for radiation therapy. I am not saying that there will not be occasions when people slip through the net, but the government is deliberately focusing on inefficiencies and shortcomings in a very large organisation that will this year spend $4 000 million on its recurrent expenditure. The government wants to make sure that that is done right. I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
I cannot be held responsible if criminals do not pay their fines; I can be held responsible - this is in anticipation of a question that will come in a few minutes - if the government does not put systems in place to deal with that. I cannot be held responsible if people get sick. However, the government can ensure that it attends to hospital emergency departments, which are the single greatest pressure on the health system today, and that it deals with surgeons in the emergency departments to make sure that it has set up the structures to properly deal with these matters in the future.
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