Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. What progress has been made to reform Australia’s health system? How have these reforms being received? What is the government’s response?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hindmarsh for his question. It was a great pleasure to be in his electorate with the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing just a fortnight ago announcing the details of the implementation plans resulting from health reform in South Australia. It was very good news in South Australia that, of the 179 sub-acute beds that are being provided, 159 of them are mental health beds that will be provided across South Australia. There are also upgrades to Modbury Hospital in the electorate of Makin and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the electorate of Adelaide. But even some of those opposite who are interjecting might be interested to know that there are investments at the Repatriation General Hospital in the electorate of Boothby, investments in Whyalla in the electorate of Grey, Mount Gambier in the electorate of Barker—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Dutton interjecting

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Briggs interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the member for Dickson and the member for Mayo!

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Each of those electorates is receiving 20 extra beds. Those who are interjecting need to understand that they are not on the record as indicating whether they support a single cent of those investments that are being rolled out across the country. In New South Wales, for example, there are already 300 beds that are open due to health reform—18 at Blacktown Hospital, 45 at Westmead Hospital, 21 in Wollongong Hospital—and those opposite have never told the public whether they support our investments in those facilities.

Last week I was in the electorate of the Minister for Trade announcing $175 million boost to the Logan Hospital that will add 50 more beds and triple the capital works upgrade at the hospital. Similarly, the member for Moreton and I announced a doubling in the size of the emergency department at the QE2 hospital with more help for Brisbane South families.

Interestingly, as we get on with the business of health reform, we have also been moving legislation through this parliament. Yesterday the first piece of significant health reform legislation passed in parliament. It was opposed in this House by the Liberal Party. It was opposed in the Senate and again in the House yesterday and, ironically, the opposition led by Mr Abbott actually has opposed legislation that is permanently establishing a body that the Leader of the Opposition established temporarily when he was the health minister. I make this point because it seems that, whether it is carbon, health reform, or whether it is a rolled-gold, rock-solid guarantee, the Leader of the Opposition changes his mind from day to day. He is not just a weathervane on carbon; he cannot make up his mind what he wants to do on health. He has been inconsistent, uncertain and just downright weird. Listen to what the Leader of the Opposition said when he introduced and established the Safety and Quality Commission.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask you to ask the Minister for Health and Ageing to withdraw her last statement.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! For those on my right that ask why, you can ask me, because I adjudicate on these matters. I took an adjudication in running that, whilst it is a robust and perhaps an extreme sort of comment, I in the past indicated when I had another role that the member for Warringah is not necessarily a precious petal and he has a hide. Whilst it may be unfortunate I decided it was not something that I would ask to be withdrawn. But I did not take that point of order as an interruption. I think that that was properly raised with me, but I will allow it on this occasion.

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to quote to the House the comments from the member for Warringah in 2005 when he was the Minister for Health and Ageing in the days when he supported the need for a safety and quality commission. He said:

… a national safety and quality commission will make it more important for doctors to have comprehensive records, access to the best possible information retrieval systems, and useable checklists against avoidable mistakes.

Apparently these are now good and important changes for the health system that the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party no longer support because they are inconsistent and uncertain about every possible policy issue we are debating in this parliament.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it being after 3.30, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before the Prime Minister leaves, it is often the practice of the Prime Minister to come back to the House with an answer to a question posed earlier. Mr Speaker, I ask you to ask the Prime Minister if she has been able to ascertain whether the three people who scuttled the boat received protection visas.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cook will resume his seat. He has made his point.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cook will absolutely understand that there is no precedent without an order of the House for the Speaker to take the actions that he has asked for. That is why I think when I say with generosity that he has made his point he should leave it at that.