❓ Mr Cook questions the Minister for Health regarding comments made by Hon Ken Wyatt about potential partial closure of Kalamunda Hospital. The Minister denies the claims and defends Wyatt's appointment.
AnsweredQoN 778Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KALAMUNDA HOSPITAL CAMPUS — HON KEN WYATT'S COMMENTS
778. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to comments made by the
newly appointed federal Assistant Minister for Health, Hon Ken Wyatt, MHR, to
the Lesmurdie and Districts Community Association in April this year. He was
quoted as saying that Kalamunda Hospital Campus will likely be partially shut
following the completion of Midland Public Hospital.
(1) Can the
minister confirm the comments made by Mr Wyatt that Kalamunda Hospital will be
partially shut?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house which services will be cut from the hospital?
(3) Did the
minister consult either the community or Hon John Day before he made the
decision to cut those services?
778. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to comments made by the
newly appointed federal Assistant Minister for Health, Hon Ken Wyatt, MHR, to
the Lesmurdie and Districts Community Association in April this year. He was
quoted as saying that Kalamunda Hospital Campus will likely be partially shut
following the completion of Midland Public Hospital.
(1) Can the
minister confirm the comments made by Mr Wyatt that Kalamunda Hospital will be
partially shut?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house which services will be cut from the hospital?
(3) Did the
minister consult either the community or Hon John Day before he made the
decision to cut those services?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Once
again, the member for Kwinana is assuming things are correct before he even
finishes his question. The answer is no, that is not correct.
Mr R.H. Cook : So is Ken Wyatt wrong?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Yes, Ken Wyatt is clearly wrong, because it is not true. I am
sure that when Ken made those comments, he made them in the role of local
member, not as Assistant Minister for Health. As Assistant Minister for Health,
I am sure that Ken Wyatt will talk to us and discuss what is happening in
Kalamunda and I will be able to inform him that he was misinformed by the
information he was given about Kalamunda. If the member for Kwinana is doing
this thinking that it in some way will denigrate his position as Assistant
Minister for Health, he is totally wrong. I think it is absolutely fantastic
that not only do we have so many Western Australians in federal ministerial
positions but also, for the first time, an Aboriginal person is Assistant Minister
for Health in this country, which will be of enormous benefit to Aboriginal
people across Australia, and because he is a Western Australian, there will be
a much better opportunity for him to have a good insight into Aboriginal health
in Western Australia. I congratulate Ken, and I am sorry to say that in my
first discussion about him he got it wrong, but I am sure he will get a lot
more things right in the future.
again, the member for Kwinana is assuming things are correct before he even
finishes his question. The answer is no, that is not correct.
Mr R.H. Cook : So is Ken Wyatt wrong?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : Yes, Ken Wyatt is clearly wrong, because it is not true. I am
sure that when Ken made those comments, he made them in the role of local
member, not as Assistant Minister for Health. As Assistant Minister for Health,
I am sure that Ken Wyatt will talk to us and discuss what is happening in
Kalamunda and I will be able to inform him that he was misinformed by the
information he was given about Kalamunda. If the member for Kwinana is doing
this thinking that it in some way will denigrate his position as Assistant
Minister for Health, he is totally wrong. I think it is absolutely fantastic
that not only do we have so many Western Australians in federal ministerial
positions but also, for the first time, an Aboriginal person is Assistant Minister
for Health in this country, which will be of enormous benefit to Aboriginal
people across Australia, and because he is a Western Australian, there will be
a much better opportunity for him to have a good insight into Aboriginal health
in Western Australia. I congratulate Ken, and I am sorry to say that in my
first discussion about him he got it wrong, but I am sure he will get a lot
more things right in the future.
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