Book 8 - Parliament of Victoria

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
1696 COUNCIL Thursday, 2 June 2011
previous government, the previous health minister, kept
secret and chose to keep secret. Why did he keep secret
the hospital early warning system data — the
mini-bypasses? Why did he refuse to say that in July
there were 505 of them, in August there were 602 of
them, in September there were 560, in October there
were 497 — and I could on.
In terms of ambulance transfer times, ramping is a
significant problem in our health system — under all
governments. I accept that, but at least now we are
prepared to put this information into the public domain.
In November, the election month, 84 per cent of
ambulances transferred their patients within 40 minutes,
but that meant that 16 per cent of ambulance patients
waited more than 40 minutes for transfer. This is a bad
use of resources for ambulances.
I have to say it is important that the data be in the public
domain. It is important that we are honest about the
data. It is very important that the information is
available to the Victorian community and to the
Victorian health system. It is sad that the previous
health minister was not prepared to be honest about the
performance. He failed. There were 11 long, dark years
of Labor, 11 years of secrecy, 11 years of failure to be
truthful about the system and 11 years to be up front —
and it is shameful.
Anglesea power station: environmental impact
statement
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — My
question is for the Minister for Planning, Mr Guy. As
the minister knows, Victoria has a bilateral agreement
with the commonwealth that allows matters referred
under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 to be considered through a
state-based environment effects statement. Can the
minister tell me whether in relation to the Anglesea
coalmine expansion and extension he has spoken to the
federal government about an assessment through this
mechanism or whether he is considering doing so?
Hon. M. J. GUY (Minister for Planning) — The
answer to Mr Barber’s question is: no, I have not
spoken to the federal government about it at this stage.
Supplementary question
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — Why
not?
Hon. M. J. GUY (Minister for Planning) — When
the matter comes to my desk I will make an assessment
on the material provided to me at the time.
Planning: Wyndham Harbour development
Mr ELSBURY (Western Metropolitan) — My
question is also to the Minister for Planning, the
Honourable Matthew Guy. Can the minister inform the
house of the innovative proposals for new communities
in the Werribee South area?
Hon. M. J. GUY (Minister for Planning) — I thank
Mr Elsbury for his terrific question in relation to urban
development in the western suburbs of Melbourne and
indeed for the interest he has taken, as has Mr Finn —
two members for Western Metropolitan Region who
both live, work and play in their own electorate. It is
terrific that they live, work and play in their own
electorate in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
It is important to ensure that residential growth in
Melbourne’s west occurs and is promoted. I was
recently joined by Mr Finn, Mr Elsbury, the lower
house member for Tarneit, Mr Pallas, Wyndham’s
mayor, John Menegazzo, and CEO Kerry Thompson to
support and turn the first sod at the Wyndham Harbour
development in the city of Wyndham on Port Phillip
Bay. This proposal has been mooted for some 25 years,
and it was with absolute pride that I was able to go
down there and launch the project by turning the first
sod on a project that the coalition has been supportive
of in opposition and that it has launched in government.
This side of the house does not just believe that
good-quality, high-quality new urban development
should be restricted to the trendy inner suburbs. Some
people in academia or indeed the political left might
believe that the only areas of Melbourne that should be
subject to new urban development should be inner city
areas.
Mr Finn interjected.
Hon. M. J. GUY — In fact I have noted with
interest the talking down of much of outer urban
Melbourne from former planning ministers who
referred to ‘McMansions’, as Mr Finn said; I think
‘obese housing’ was the comment of the former
Minister for Planning, who referred with scorn to
quality outer urban development, particularly in places
like Wyndham.
Let me say that this government believes outer urban
Melburnians and regional Victorians have every right to
benefit from good quality urban design and urban
accommodation. We are putting our money and support
where our mouth is. We are supporting this
development, and I was pleased and proud to go and
launch this development as a sign of this government’s