Modbury Hospital

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): Supplementary arising from the original answer: did his department raise any concerns over patient safety with a stand-alone HDU at the Modbury Hospital?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:11): I have said that repeatedly. The department has offered—

The Hon. K.J. Maher: They raise concerns over safety.

The PRESIDENT: Let the minister answer.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Let's put it this way—I must admit, I might need to go back and check the record—my understanding is that I have already indicated that there were concerns—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Leader of the Opposition, let him answer in silence. It is your question—please, no chitchat across the aisles. Minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: My recollection is that I have already indicated to the house that departmental officers have raised concerns about the proposal of an HDU in relation to patient safety, patient concern, whatever words were used. The fact of the matter is that there is a range of differing advice and the diversity of clinical advice in relation to Modbury is well-established—it has been with us for six months. But the people of the north-east, faced with all the evidence—the different clinical groups expressing their view, a whole range of different clinicians—they voted on 17March on their judgement of your former government's willingness to stand up for them.

They were more persuaded by the 107 clinicians at the Modbury Hospital who signed the petition. My understanding is that 103 of them said that they wanted an HDU at Modbury, and whatever the balance is, four, said that they didn't want an HDU at Modbury. But the people of the north-east had the departmental advice offered to them by the former failed minister for health, now the Leader of the Opposition in the other place. They had all the arguments on the table. They knew what the Department of Health told me because the Department of Health told Peter Malinauskas that and he offered that to the people of the north-east, and they gave their verdict on 17 March and you don't have three seats that you had in the past.