Stuart Henry (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to speak about the Kalamunda District Community Hospital in my electorate of Hasluck and two dynamic young women—Georgia Bolden-Strestik and Melanie Landy. Firstly, I congratulate both Georgia and Melanie on organising a very successful community rally yesterday—Sunday, 12 February—in Stirk Park, Kalamunda, in support of retaining health services at the Kalamunda hospital and retaining the hospital at its existing fully functional capacity. Secondly, I commend both Georgia and Melanie on behalf of the Kalamunda and hills communities for taking the fight up to the Western Australian Labor government and its health minister, Mr McGinty.

The state Labor government of Western Australia and its Minister for Health have failed to consult with or listen to the communities living in the Kalamunda and hills area on what health services best suit their needs; indeed, they have treated them with contempt. So it is terrific that these two young women have provided another opportunity for these communities to send a message to the state government.

As I have previously stated, the state government is not listening. In the past there have been a community rally attended by over 1,500 people, a petition with many thousands of signatures and a further rally on the steps of Parliament House, Western Australia. However, perhaps as there is a new premier in Allen Carpenter, this rally and resulting petition will be given the attention they so richly deserve by this derelict state Labor government.

Georgia and Melanie, like so many of the community minded families that live in the area, are determined to see the state Labor government respond to their very real concerns with respect to the loss of services from the Kalamunda hospital. These concerns include a significant reduction in surgical procedures, a continuing reduction in staff and bed numbers, cessation of surgery for children under 14 and, last but not least, the closure of maternity and obstetric wards from April 2006. Further to the loss of these health services, residents will be severely disadvantaged by having to travel to the Swan District Hospital in Midland. One speaker at the rally spoke of the difficulties associated with this journey for those many families and elderly people reliant on public transport. They reported that there was no district bus route and that three different buses need to be caught, travelling into Perth and back out to Midland—in total, a journey that takes over 1.5 hours. This is an absolutely ludicrous proposition for an expectant mother or an elderly patient needing urgent medical treatment. What of the dads and other family members wanting to visit a new mother and baby in that hospital? Will the state Labor government deprive them of this opportunity? Sadly, it looks like it.

Indeed, in the Australian newspaper, it was reported that Hasluck is one of the saddest electorates in the country—and no wonder, when a state Labor government treats our good folk with such disdain. The excellent performance of the Kalamunda hospital was also cited as a very good reason to retain its range of services, including maternity and obstetrics. The Kalamunda hospital has been ranked with the best hospitals in the west on a WA Department of Health patient satisfaction survey.

For many years, there have been in excess of 400 births per year at this hospital, with absolutely no safety issues and great community confidence. Indeed, over three generations of some families have been born at this hospital. Satisfaction with the performance of the hospital and its staff is at a very high level. The hospital is a very much appreciated and much needed part of the hills community, providing employment to many and business to small business suppliers.

Concern was also expressed about the possible loss of doctors from the area, with a loss of the range of services proposed. There is already a significant shortage of doctors in the area to service the growing foothill communities of Lesmurdie, Gooseberry Hill, Maida Vale, High Wycombe, Hazelmere, Forrestfield, Wattle Grove and Walliston. These suburbs are representative of a significant change occurring in the demographics of the area. Across many of these hills suburbs, thousands of new homes are being built, attracting many young couples and young families with expectations that essential health services will be available to meet their growing needs. Many of these young people were at the rally supporting the efforts of Georgia and Melanie, expressing their concerns that Labor was not interested in their or their family’s health needs. As the member for Hasluck, I will be supporting them in the best possible way that I can.