Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I know members throughout Australia have embraced GP superclinics. The member for Bowman says that he does not support GP superclinics. I will put that on the record because I know that members on this side of the parliament are getting very positive feedback from the constituents in their electorates about the benefits of GP superclinics.

Seven hundred and fifty million dollars will be provided so that the service that patients get when they go to emergency departments will be provided within four hours. I should note here that $280,000 has been provided to boost health services at Belmont Hospital. The residents in east Lake Macquarie will benefit from new medical equipment and improvements at the hospital following the historic health and hospital reforms, without which this would not have happened. The hospital will also undergo a $25,000 refurbishment which will improve the triage area, allowing staff an unobstructed view of the waiting area from the triage desk.

The Howard government did nothing to improve health services. It was a wrecker. It impacted on the services that people were able to obtain. It oversaw the development of a chronic doctor shortage and it lost track of the fact that governments are there to provide services to people, particularly in the area of health. Instead of providing services it took away those services.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

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