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- 24 September 2002
Cronulla Electorate Health Services
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Page: 5207
Mr KERR (Cronulla) [5.58 p.m.]: I draw to the attention of the House a number of health issues in my electorate. It is unfortunate that the honourable member for Heathcote, the Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Health, is not present in the Chamber because I too regard branch stacking as a health hazard for democracy.
Ms Nori: Point of order: My understanding of standing orders in respect of private members' statements is that a private member's statement is meant to relate strictly to matters affecting the electorate or constituents of the member making the statement. I fail to see the relevance to his electorate or his constituents of the comments made by the honourable member.
Mr ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Mills): Order! I uphold the point of order, if only because in the past former Speaker Rozzoli ruled a private member's statement should be restricted to one subject. The honourable member for Cronulla has referred to health and branch stacking, which I do not believe are related.
Mr KERR: I related the health of democracy to branch stacking, but I will be speaking on health. One aspect of that is the heart and lung rehabilitation unit at Sutherland Hospital. I have received a number of expressions of concern from constituents about the serious risks associated with the closing of that unit due to the lack of a funding commitment to it by the Carr Government. The other aspect of health is rehabilitation. The heart and lung unit is critical to rehabilitation. The unit provides a program of essential rehabilitation for heart and lung patients, in many cases preventing the onset of further serious illness. The Government must act immediately to keep this unit open. Sutherland Hospital has a shortage of nurses. I note that the Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Health has entered the Chamber. I know he has serious concerns about what is happening at Sutherland Hospital. On a number of occasions I have referred to the Parliamentary Secretary the cases of constituents who have required operations, and he has acted on those matters responsibly and with reasonable expedition.
I bring to the attention of the Parliamentary Secretary the heart and lung rehabilitation unit at Sutherland Hospital and the need for a funding commitment. I also bring to his attention the need for a hydrotherapy pool at the Sutherland Hospital. As the Parliamentary Secretary would be aware, there was a hydrotherapy pool at Sutherland Hospital. He would be aware of the essential health benefits of that hydrotherapy pool. Those two facilities are essential to enable heart and other patients to have adequate exercise. It is false economy not to provide funding for those facilities. The Parliamentary Secretary is probably somewhat of an expert on heart conditions and cardiac medicine, and would know just how essential those two units are for the health and wellbeing of the people of my area. Though I have talked about this matter totally in respect of my electorate, it has implications for other electorates. Of course, the wider implications are only consequential. The basis of my statement tonight relates to my electorate.
Mr McMANUS (Heathcote-Parliamentary Secretary) [6.03 p.m.]: I appreciate the concerns of the people of the Sutherland shire that were raised by my colleague. However, I am concerned that the honourable member raises these sorts of matters in the Parliament rather than liaises with Government members regarding them. I should say at the outset that, having had a heart operation recently, I appreciate what the honourable member is saying. Government members are meeting regularly with cardiologists, in particular from Sutherland shire, to find ways and means of addressing the concerns of doctors and providing better services for heart and lung patients in the shire. On this occasion I have concerns as a local member. The honourable member has not been talking to us about resolving the problem.
Not long ago we had allegations from the Opposition that the maternity unit was to close. In the past couple of weeks the Premier and the Minister have been to the hospital to demonstrate to the community that the Government will not only continue to provide the maternity unit but will enhance those services. Before that the issue was cancer care. If the honourable member for Cronulla has concerns, he should talk to Government members, because we are talking to the doctors and health service providers regularly. I do not know the origin of this issue, because I was with the cardiologists at dinner in Parliament House a couple of weeks ago-drinking red wine because it is supposed to be good for the heart-and they said they were pleased with the direction the Government is taking in dealing with heart issues in the shire. I remind the honourable member, who chooses continually to launch an attack in this House-and I appreciate what he says about the hydrotherapy pool-that despite all the discussions we have had with the doctors, the community and experts in health, this matter has never been raised. However, I am happy to deal with it.
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