Hospital inquiry is political in nature

THE Legislative Council’s Hospital Select Committee is a political stunt and a misuse of the Committee system. It is no coincidence that Labor’s election strategy is being prosecuted by Ruth Forrest, the prospective Minister for Health in a minority Labor Government. The Legislative Council has two Sessional Committees of six members apiece who shadow Government portfolios. Where an issue such as hospitals is within a single portfolio, then it should be dealt with by the relevant Sessional Committee, rather than a Select Committee. Unfortunately for Labor and Ms Forest, in contrast to their hand-picked, left leaning three Member star-chamber, Sessional Committees contain a balanced membership. Nor should anyone be fooled by Labor’s formal absence as the Select Committee prosecutes their case and the unions and vested interests use the committee to generate negative media in the lead-up to next year’s election. Hopefully the people of Tasmania will remember Labor’s hospital legacy, including the poor decision to rebuild on the existing site. Had Lara Giddings opted for a greenfields site, or Andrew Wilkie accepted the Federal Liberal’s 2010, $1 billion offer, we would now have a 21st century hospital operating on Macquarie Point and been spared the Gillard years. The proposal to co-locate with an international hotel would have dealt with patient overloads — the only new idea in Labor’s un-funded health plan.