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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-02-04 Daily Xml
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KAPUNDA HOSPITAL (VARIATION OF TRUST) BILL

Referred to Select Committee

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (12:01): I bring up the final report of the select committee on the bill, together with minutes of proceedings and evidence.

Report received.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I move:

That the report of the select committee be noted.

In tabling this report, as Minister for Health and chair of this committee, I thank the members of the committee, whom I will mention by name: Ms Breuer, the member for Giles; Ms Chapman, the member for Bragg; the Hon. G.M. Gunn, the member for Stuart; and Mr Piccolo, the member for Light. We met, I think, on two occasions. We advertised the matters that were of relevance and we received three submissions. One submission came from the owners of the childcare centre, the matter which is relevant to the report into the legislation; another submission came from a local community group, a ratepayers' association; and a third piece of correspondence came from an individual.

No-one was opposed to where we wanted to go. The childcare provider, of course, was very strongly in support of what we were doing because, obviously, it was necessary to legitimise its settlement on that property. The other two responses understood and, I think, agreed, as I understand it, that this was the correct way of proceeding. However, they expressed some general concerns about making sure there was proper community consultation, and they also expressed concerns about future potential uses of the power. The committee accepted all those submissions and agreed on the report which I am now tabling and which would allow the parliament to deal with this matter today and settle this matter once it has gone through the other place.

As Minister for Health and also chair of the committee, I undertook to write to the ratepayers' association and the individual and explain to them what we were doing and the nature of the safeguards that were in the legislation which would ensure that any future use of this power would take place through a consultation process. I think we all agree that that was the correct way to go. I thank those who wrote in and thanked members of the committee and I say how pleased I am that this matter will soon be brought to a head and the childcare centre will have legitimate occupation of the site. I commend the report to the house.

The Hon. G.M. GUNN (Stuart) (12:05): I support the report of the Select Committee on the Kapunda Hospital (Variation of Trusts) Bill. What took place was an unintentional oversight; it was done in the best interests of that community, and therefore the action taken by the government in amending the trusts to ensure what was done is retrospectively made legal so that it is right and proper. It would be not only unfortunate but absolutely ludicrous if the childcare centre had to go out of operation.

The people who run the Eudunda Kapunda Hospital Board and their predecessors are of the highest integrity and have done a good job on behalf of their communities, and I commend them for the work they have put in. I am pleased this has not taken a great deal of time and I am happy to support the recommendations of the select committee and sincerely hope that the childcare centre continues to provide a service to that community with the excellent facilities that are there.

Last Saturday night I had the privilege, along with the member for Schubert, of attending the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club at Kapunda. One of the highlights of that 50 years was its involvement in putting a helipad there—an excellent community investment and something which will be of great benefit. Those sort of investments on that land are very important, so we should not do anything that would impede the community-minded citizens of that area from improving the facilities they have at their hospital and the associated aged-care facilities, which are great. Everything to do with it is good and the people involved in running it are hardworking, dedicated, good community people. I strongly support the recommendations of the select committee.

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (12:08): In 2005 I was the member for this area and I am sad the redistribution took me away.

Members interjecting:

Mr VENNING: I am extremely sad. They have not complained about their new representation at all as it is a continuation of good, strong service. I enjoy great cooperation with the member for Stuart as I still frequent Kapunda because it is a wonderful town. In 2005 a childcare centre was established in Kapunda on land held in trust. At the time the trustee was the Eudunda and Kapunda Health Service Inc. I remember it well, as at the time I was the member for Schubert and responsible for that area.

The centre provided the growing Kapunda community, including many young families, with a convenient childcare service within the township. The staff of the Kapunda hospital, in particular, find the centre extremely well located, being only a few hundred metres away from the hospital. It was unfortunate that it was not realised sooner that the vacant land that the centre was built on was held in trust.

I am pleased the bill has been brought before the house so that the situation can be remedied and the oversight covered. I am glad the bureaucracy did not hold it up for too long. It is sad that it has happened, but I am pleased we are able to fix it up. There were a lot of concerned parents when the situation was revealed. Many were concerned that the centre would be forced to close and that they would have to cut back on their work or travel further to another childcare centre, which are in short supply in this area.

The fact that the centre was built on vacant land not required by the hospital, and that applications made by Childcare Services Australia Pty Ltd to relocate the centre on other sites had failed, proves this bill is necessary to ensure that the service can continue to be offered for the community.

I join the member for Stuart and the minister in expounding the virtues of the Kapunda hospital, which is right alongside. We went to a function the other night—50 years of Rotary—and they highlighted the helipad that has been put there. It was a great community project and a great effort by Rotary.

The facilities for the community in that whole area are just fantastic, as good as anywhere. I pay tribute to the then board chairman, Mr Max Armstrong, who was a great leader in relation to all these projects. The support of the townspeople and volunteers—not just Rotary members but also Lions members—for this issue is fantastic. As I said, I was sad to move from Kapunda, although I have rooms there so I still visit that town. It is a lovely area and I really enjoy its ambience. Along with the member for Stuart, I am pleased to attend many functions—because I still get invited to many functions in and around Kapunda. I commend the minister and this bill to the house.

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen) (12:11): I want to comment briefly on this bill. I will not comment so much on the substance of the bill because I am satisfied that the members for Stuart and Schubert have covered that adequately. What interests me about this bill is the fact that it is a private hybrid bill. When one looks at the Notice Paper, it states:

Kapunda Hospital (Variation of Trusts) Bill (No. 39) (Minister for Health)—Report of the select committee to be brought up.

That is what caught my eye. I was not intending to speak on the bill until I looked at the select committee report. I was puzzled as to how this came about. I have learned this morning that this may be the only opportunity I ever have in my parliamentary career, no matter how long it continues, to speak on a private hybrid bill, so I thought I should not let the opportunity pass me by. I am ever mindful of the fact that one day, about 100 years from now, when I die there will be a condolence motion, and I am determined that it not be so boring that the then members of parliament fall asleep. I intend to do some odd things from time to time and this might be one of them—and maybe it will not.

Apparently, private members' bills were very popular in the 19th century for establishing universities, and some legislation still remains on the books. In fact, Prince Alfred College and a few places such as that still operate pursuant to those sorts of bills. What happens is there are public or private hybrid bills. The public bills, which relate to matters of public policy, are introduced by members of the house. A private hybrid bill is initiated by people or some organisation outside who want something done; and in this case, obviously, it is the people involved in and around Kapunda health services and the childcare centre. The explanation advises that private bills are bills for 'the particular interest or benefit of any person or persons, public company or corporation, or local authority, and are promoted by the interested parties themselves'.

Of course, what happens is that once the Speaker declares—as he did in this house on our last day of sitting, certainly towards the end of November last year—that he agrees that this is classified as a private hybrid bill, then the requirements of the practice of the house are that such a bill goes off to a select committee; and a select committee was set up, comprising the members for Giles, Bragg, Stuart and Light and the minister. That is the mechanism by which this report now comes back to the house. Its having been made public, the select committee invited submissions from those who were interested, received and considered those submissions, and then made the decision to proceed with what was proposed all along.

I was interested in that being the procedure for this bill and wanted to put it on the record. I endorse the sentiments of the bill and the bill itself.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (12:14): The honourable member's epitaph no doubt will be hugely improved by that contribution.

Motion carried.

Third Reading

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (12:15): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

I thank very much the staff of the health department and parliamentary counsel—I am not too sure entirely who was responsible in this regard—all members of the committee and those who contributed to the select committee process. I also thank the opposition for its cooperation in ensuring that this matter was dealt with speedily.

Bill read a third time and passed.

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