❓ Hon Stephen Dawson questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service's status, special administration, and funding for clinic upgrades. The Minister denies being briefed and refers to the Minister for Health.
AnsweredQoN 155Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PUNTUKURNU ABORIGINAL
MEDICAL SERVICE
155. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
Earlier today I gave some notice of
a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, which I think has been
transferred to another minister, so I will ask this question without notice.
I refer to the Puntukurnu Aboriginal
Medical Service.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing by the Department for Aboriginal Affairs on the
current status and crisis facing the medical service; and, if yes, what action
has the minister taken?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the medical service was, at the request of its board,
placed under special administration by the Office of the Registrar of
Indigenous Corporations; and, if not, why not?
(3) Given the
importance of the service provided by this medical service, what action will
the minister take to ensure that urgent funding is provided for short-term
upgrades to the four clinics of Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji to
bring them to an acceptable standard?
The PRESIDENT : Just to
clarify, the member said that that was a question without notice to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, but I am guessing from the hand signals that
the question was put on notice and is going to be answered by the parliamentary
secretary.
Point of Order
Hon KEN TRAVERS : If a
member of this house asks a question of a particular minister on a matter that
is within their area of responsibility, I believe that we should be able to
expect an answer from that minister. It is not an answer from the Minister for
Health that the member is asking for; it is the knowledge, understanding and
involvement of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on this issue. I think that
is what the member is after, and he should be entitled to not be fobbed off to
the Minister for Health.
Hon PETER
COLLIER : No; some notice was given.
The
PRESIDENT : Order! Perhaps the member who asked the question would
like to clarify whether he wanted to ask the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
that question without notice, or if he had the question on notice to be
answered by some other minister.
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON : My question today was actually without notice; it
was to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, to get his view on whether he was
briefed by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Questions without Notice Resumed
MEDICAL SERVICE
155. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
Earlier today I gave some notice of
a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, which I think has been
transferred to another minister, so I will ask this question without notice.
I refer to the Puntukurnu Aboriginal
Medical Service.
(1) Has the
minister received a briefing by the Department for Aboriginal Affairs on the
current status and crisis facing the medical service; and, if yes, what action
has the minister taken?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the medical service was, at the request of its board,
placed under special administration by the Office of the Registrar of
Indigenous Corporations; and, if not, why not?
(3) Given the
importance of the service provided by this medical service, what action will
the minister take to ensure that urgent funding is provided for short-term
upgrades to the four clinics of Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji to
bring them to an acceptable standard?
The PRESIDENT : Just to
clarify, the member said that that was a question without notice to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, but I am guessing from the hand signals that
the question was put on notice and is going to be answered by the parliamentary
secretary.
Point of Order
Hon KEN TRAVERS : If a
member of this house asks a question of a particular minister on a matter that
is within their area of responsibility, I believe that we should be able to
expect an answer from that minister. It is not an answer from the Minister for
Health that the member is asking for; it is the knowledge, understanding and
involvement of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on this issue. I think that
is what the member is after, and he should be entitled to not be fobbed off to
the Minister for Health.
Hon PETER
COLLIER : No; some notice was given.
The
PRESIDENT : Order! Perhaps the member who asked the question would
like to clarify whether he wanted to ask the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
that question without notice, or if he had the question on notice to be
answered by some other minister.
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON : My question today was actually without notice; it
was to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, to get his view on whether he was
briefed by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Questions without Notice Resumed
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
the question without notice, but in fact he did put the question in to my
office this morning; I received a copy of this question this morning.
Hon Stephen Dawson : Sure, but I have asked it without
notice this afternoon.
Hon Ken Travers : He wants your knowledge.
Hon PETER COLLIER : With all due respect, Hon Ken Travers
did not ask the question. Just to clarify, this is a very, very specific
operational issue, and it is only appropriate that the member gave some notice.
With all due respect, we are talking about a specific medical service in the
north of the state. The honourable member did the appropriate thing and put the
question on notice, with some notice given, so we have a response. Why on earth
he would then decide to put the question without notice is beyond me, but I
have a response.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Perhaps the Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs might then refer to the notes in his hand to provide an
answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I will,
and this will give the honourable member the answer that he wanted.
(1) No.
(2) No. A
briefing to the Minister for Health advising of the special administration
arrangements is currently being prepared by the Western Australian Department
of Health.
(3) Of the
four clinics that Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service operates from in the
East Pilbara, only the Jigalong clinic is registered as a state government
asset. In 2011, a review by the Department of Finance's Building
Management and Works business deemed the clinic to be in ''fair and
reasonable'' condition compared with other remote clinics and was not
prioritised for urgent maintenance.
As I said, it is only appropriate, given those circumstances
and that question, that the member put it on notice, so I appreciate him
putting it on notice, and he got a response.
the question without notice, but in fact he did put the question in to my
office this morning; I received a copy of this question this morning.
Hon Stephen Dawson : Sure, but I have asked it without
notice this afternoon.
Hon Ken Travers : He wants your knowledge.
Hon PETER COLLIER : With all due respect, Hon Ken Travers
did not ask the question. Just to clarify, this is a very, very specific
operational issue, and it is only appropriate that the member gave some notice.
With all due respect, we are talking about a specific medical service in the
north of the state. The honourable member did the appropriate thing and put the
question on notice, with some notice given, so we have a response. Why on earth
he would then decide to put the question without notice is beyond me, but I
have a response.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Perhaps the Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs might then refer to the notes in his hand to provide an
answer.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I will,
and this will give the honourable member the answer that he wanted.
(1) No.
(2) No. A
briefing to the Minister for Health advising of the special administration
arrangements is currently being prepared by the Western Australian Department
of Health.
(3) Of the
four clinics that Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service operates from in the
East Pilbara, only the Jigalong clinic is registered as a state government
asset. In 2011, a review by the Department of Finance's Building
Management and Works business deemed the clinic to be in ''fair and
reasonable'' condition compared with other remote clinics and was not
prioritised for urgent maintenance.
As I said, it is only appropriate, given those circumstances
and that question, that the member put it on notice, so I appreciate him
putting it on notice, and he got a response.
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