House debates

Tuesday, 22 November 2016

Questions without Notice

Building and Construction Industry

2:27 pm

Photo of Sussan LeySussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and thank you to the member for Boothby for her question. She certainly understands the importance of the health of her electorate and the health of the nation.

Members on our side of course know about the government's record spending on Medicare and public hospitals—public hospital infrastructure, $95 billion over five years, more than any previous government has spent. But we need more than record funding to deliver the world-class health system that Australians have come to expect. It also takes infrastructure; it takes hospital infrastructure. We need hospital infrastructure to deliver our record finding. Unfortunately, due to the actions of unions on building sites across this country—described variously in the trade union royal commission as 'bullies', 'liars', 'thugs' and 'thieves'—that infrastructure has been delayed.

When you see a hospital that does not get opened on time, when you see beds that do not arrive on time, when you see treatments that are not delivered on time, you know that this Labor Party is putting the health of their union mates before the health of the nation.

Due to the actions of unions on hospital building sites, and I will give you an example.

Ms Husar interjecting

Comments

No comments