❓ Mr. Stephens raises concerns about dialysis patients in Port Hedland living in poor conditions. Dr. Hames responds, highlighting government efforts to improve dialysis services in the Kimberley and Pilbara, while also suggesting personal responsibility plays a role in the patients' situation.
AnsweredQoN 483Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PORT HEDLAND — DIALYSIS TREATMENT FACILITIES
I refer to the group of chronically ill patients in Port Hedland who are living in tent sites in squalid conditions without access to food, water and sanitation and waiting for access to the hospital for their treatments. (1) What is the minister doing in his portfolio and with his officers to work with those patients to ensure they have access to accommodation while they are getting dialysis treatment in Port Hedland? (2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES
I refer to the group of chronically ill patients in Port Hedland who are living in tent sites in squalid conditions without access to food, water and sanitation and waiting for access to the hospital for their treatments. (1) What is the minister doing in his portfolio and with his officers to work with those patients to ensure they have access to accommodation while they are getting dialysis treatment in Port Hedland? (2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(1) What is the minister doing in his portfolio and with his officers to work with those patients to ensure they have access to accommodation while they are getting dialysis treatment in Port Hedland? (2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(1) What is the minister doing in his portfolio and with his officers to work with those patients to ensure they have access to accommodation while they are getting dialysis treatment in Port Hedland? (2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(2) Will the minister commit to providing dialysis facilities in the inland towns of the Pilbara so that renal patients do not have to either travel to Perth for treatment or sleep rough on the streets of the fringe camps of Port Hedland? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
(1)–(2) The member will be aware, having had involvement not only in his electorate in the Pilbara, but also with a lot of communities in the Kimberley, that this government in conjunction with the commonwealth government is doing a huge amount of work in improving services for dialysis patients in those regions. We funded, jointly with the commonwealth, a major expansion of the facilities coming out of Broome and going out to Fitzroy and Kununurra to make sure we had facilities closer to home. I am currently working very hard to get some new dialysis facilities — Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Our government put dialysis into Fitzroy. Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : We spent a huge amount more than members opposite ever spent on improving dialysis service in the Kimberley. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
The SPEAKER : Members! Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I would be more than happy to get those figures for the member for Midland if she wants to do that comparison herself. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is what’s happening at the moment acceptable? Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I am getting to that. The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
The SPEAKER : Members! I think only one person asked the question and it was the member for Pilbara. Member for Collie–Preston, I am going to formally call you to order for the third time today, and member for Midland for the first time today. I want to hear the answer from the Minister for Health. Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I was talking about Fitzroy, which is of interest because we are about to put some new dialysis services into Fitzroy so that people currently in places such as Broome and Derby will be able to go back and stay near their homes in Fitzroy; however, it is enormously expensive. It costs a large amount of money to do that but we are doing that. In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
In relation to the people just out of Port Hedland—I saw that footage the other day—I was interested to find out why they were not in alternative accommodation and what accommodation was available. Of course, largely it is the responsibility of the Minister for Housing. I therefore had a conversation with the Minister for Housing to find out the cost of accommodation in the hostel about 200 metres down the road from the hospital and why those people were living in squalor on mattresses. We saw a little girl lying on a torn mattress in squalor. Why were those people not in a hostel? I got the impression from watching the television footage that it was far too expensive. We were thinking of figures for someone who has to rent somewhere in the Pilbara, which is between $2 000 and $3 000 a week. We were thinking that it was no wonder they could not find accommodation because it is too expensive. However, I found out that the hostel accommodation, which includes food, actually costs about $20 to $25 a day. That is therefore not just an accommodation cost; a person can stay in that accommodation for $20 to $25 a day with all their food supplied. I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I am sure the member for Pilbara has been in that area long enough to know that if he asked those people why they were not staying in that hostel accommodation that is available for them, he would find that it is because they do not want to spend $20 to $25 a day on accommodation and food. Chances are that they want to spend it on something else that is far less healthy and is perhaps contributing to their problems with diabetes. I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
I think the member for Pilbara knows well enough to not just take these problems on face value; he needs to know exactly what is causing them. Given that it is occurring in his electorate, it would be a good thing for him to sit down and talk to those people, if he has not already done so—I presume he has—and find out exactly what is the reason. Is it the $20 a day that is stopping them? What else are they doing with that money? Do they need support in another way from community services to get them to stay there? I am sure that government would be happy to work with the member for Pilbara to find accommodation. At the end of the day, people have to be prepared to pay for the cost of food and accommodation, even though the cost for them staying there would obviously be very small compared with the income they would be getting from the commonwealth government to support the cost of their rent there.
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