Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [11.57 a.m.]: I am very pleased to see the Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Health in the House, because he would realise that today is Go Red for Women Day. I am very proud to be wearing a red tie—or as close as I could get to red. The Heart Foundation's Go Red for Women campaign is aimed at raising awareness about women and heart disease. The statistics regarding women and heart disease are worrying, as heart disease is the number one killer of Australian women. People do not realise that. It is great these days that members of Parliament are seeking to highlight the concern about heart disease in women, to get the message out to women. No doubt the Deputy-Speaker would support everything that is being done in that regard. A lot of people believe that breast cancer is the main problem women face today. But, sadly, heart disease is the number one killer of Australian women. Indeed, heart disease kills four times as many women as breast cancer, or more than 11,000 a year, but eight out of 10 women remain unaware of this alarming fact.

Earlier this week I was very disappointed that the Government gagged me when I sought the leave of the House to speak in the debate on rural and regional health in New South Wales. Throughout the week I have harped on and interjected about funds not being provided for stage three of the Lismore Base Hospital upgrade. I do so because the hospital infrastructure is falling down around everyone's ears. Recently I informed the House about a person at the Lismore Base Hospital who had to dial 000 to get some attention from a nurse because the electronic call system was not working. I received a response from the Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Health in relation to that matter. He said:

I am advised that Lismore Base Hospital management is taking action to replace the Nurse Call System on Ward C8. Unfortunately, this process has taken a little longer than originally anticipated. Mr Chris Crawford, Chief Executive, North Coast Area Health Service, has advised that the emergency part of the Nurse Call System is still operative, including in the patient shower and toilet areas. Mr Crawford also advises that a temporary Nurse Call system has been installed, and a permanent Nurse Call System has been selected. I am advised the new system will be installed within the next three weeks.

That letter was dated 7 April 2010. Yesterday a family member of a terminally ill patient contacted my office to say that last Tuesday or Wednesday evening each patient was given a hand-held, battery-operated buzzer. Sadly that lady pressed her buzzer at midnight but got no response, and when a nurse finally attended she was told that the batteries were flat. The system has not been fixed, and this incident is indicative of the types of problems at the hospital. The lift system has also been an ongoing problem at Lismore Base Hospital, and I am advised that it still has not been fixed. One of the public lifts is still out of order. Yes, the medical staff in another area of the hospital are using the new lifts, but the public have to climb the stairs if the lifts are not available to them. My office received further word this morning from the same family member that when she visited the hospital last night she observed that all patients had been given a bell on their trays. Lismore Base Hospital faces problem after problem.

The Minister for Health probably wonders why I continue to interject every day about this hospital and why I have asked about it not being included in the budget. I was at the hospital when both Federal and State health Ministers were taken around and shown the nice parts. But if the Minister were to see the whole hospital she would understand. I am not the only person complaining—the entire northern rivers community is complaining. Under the present system everyone is forced to attend Lismore hospital because it is the base hospital. Sadly, it does not have the infrastructure to handle all its patients and, as a result, problem after problem is being raised with me.