Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great pleasure to speak on this particular motion and to ask the question right up front: why was the question asked by a Labor senator from Queensland to our leader in the Senate, Senator Nick Minchin, rather than by a Tasmanian Labor senator? I think I know the answer. The answer is that Labor want to fudge their position. It is very sad and disappointing that federal Labor want to do that. The candidate for the Labor Party in the seat of Braddon is having two bob each way. In fact, it is a really big fudge of his position, and he has been caught out. He has been caught out by Senator Richard Colbeck today. In a statement, he has made it clear that the Labor candidate for Braddon is refusing to commit to a position on the Mersey hospital. It is a downgrading of that hospital by the state Labor government, and the federal Labor candidate will not to commit to that hospital. He will not take a position. We have seen that that hospital will be and is being downgraded by state Labor.

However, in today’s media we note the state Labor member for Braddon, Brenton Best. What does he say about the federal policy? What does he say about the Prime Minister’s announcement of 1 August? He says, ‘Bring it on.’ In today’s Advocate, he said: ‘The Prime Minister, John Howard, should start to roll out his Mersey hospital rescue now.’ He went on to say: ‘I do not think it is a huge challenge. If the money is there, he’—meaning the Prime Minister—’should do it now instead of mucking around until July next year.’ That is one of the candidates who have the guts to stand up and express their position. But, again, Sid Sidebottom, who is the federal Braddon candidate for Labor, simply does not have the guts to nail his colours to the mast—unlike our Liberal member for Braddon, Mark Baker.

Fascinatingly, a former state Labor candidate, now mayor of the Latrobe City Council, Mike Gaffney, has an opinion piece in the Advocate today. In it he says:

Congratulations to Mark Baker and his staff for their efforts which have surely put the eyes of Australian on the Mersey Community Hospital in our municipality.

The mayor supports the decision to retain services at the Mersey hospital. He opposes the views of Lara Giddings and the state Labor government. So there is a mishmash of opinions between state Labor and federal Labor in Tasmania. Yes, the Prime Minister’s commitment is categorical and clear. In fact, the Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, whom I spoke to last night, is in Tasmania today outlining his views and his plans for the Mersey Community Hospital, supporting Mark Baker and seeking information and advice from the state government. In fact, the minister had a meeting earlier today with the Minister for Health and Human Services, Lara Giddings. I can advise the Senate that the feedback that I have is that the state Labor government, and Ms Giddings in particular, has been unhelpful. In terms of her approach to providing information, the meeting has been very limp and dilatory. Despite a genuine effort and an offer from the Australian government to put $45 million or thereabouts on the table, the response has been dilatory at best and most definitely unhelpful. In my view, it is really a matter of priorities as to how they wish to get the money.

Let us look at the big picture. They have $700 million to run public hospitals in Tasmania. That was increased by $220 million, so it is now $920 million over a five-year period. That is a 17 per cent increase in real terms over that period. In addition to that, you have a $117 million GST windfall. The money is there; it is a matter of priorities. What are they doing with that money? I want the state Labor government to lay out the plans for the extra $45 million. What are they going to do with that money? I know that Ben Quinn, the federal Liberal candidate for the Lyons electorate, wants that money spent, as do I, at Rosebery and Ouse in those hospitals that need it so much. Those communities are screaming out for it and the federal Labor member down there has done very little to support those communities. Ben Quinn, on the other hand, has done a great deal and I commend him and congratulate him. (Time expired)