The House full of hot air

HEALTH Minister Michael Ferguson has survived the threat of a second no-confidence motion in two days after the Lower House of State Parliament spent yesterday achieving little more than debating the merits of government ministers.

Labor’s attempt to embarrass the Health Minister and to censure Housing Minister Roger Jaensch were doomed from the outset, but nevertheless consumed several hours of parliamentary time. Labor leader Rebecca White twice tried to suspend standing orders to debate the motions. Both attempts failed.

Speaker Sue Hickey began yesterday with a broadside at the Government — of which she is nominally a member — over housing and health.

Ms Hickey told ABC Radio it was time for Mr Ferguson to “consider his position” as the public health system strains under growing demand. She later moderated her remarks,

“Michael Ferguson is a very competent minister and he’s a really nice guy when you actually get to know him,” she said.

“He probably sometimes comes across as a little arrogant … but I do think he is giving it his all.

She said an “overworked” Mr Ferguson had lost the confidence of doctors and nurses but she said she would not support a motion of no confidence in him “at this point in time”, saying he needed an assistant minister for health to be appointed.

Ms White repeatedly called on Mr Ferguson to resign.

“There is no doubt that you are struggling in your portfolio,” she said. “Right across the state patients are dying avoidable deaths and staff are struggling to do their job because of your incompetent handling.”

Mr Ferguson told parliament he wanted stay on in the job. “I feel very grateful for the honour of performing a very difficult job as the Health Minister, a job that members opposite did not even want.

“We take this job seriously. It is not a game. It should never be a game. It should not be a political fun sport.”

Ms Hickey earlier accused the Government of “not giving a shit about the homeless” after her plan for crisis housing met with resistance.

“I think everyone is seeing for the first time that Hobart has a begging problem and that is quite distressing,” she said. “We all know it goes on in Sydney and big cities around the world, but when you face it in your own city — this is a turning point in our city’s history, and it's a really sad reflection that we’re not able to keep up with looking after our most vulnerable.”

But she said further talks had taken place yesterday, which were “surprisingly” productive.

In Parliament, Housing Minister Roger Jaensch defended himself from Ms Hickey’s criticisms. “I cannot account for the way that somebody else feels. What I need to do is to do my job to the best of my capability,” he said.

Labor Housing spokeswoman Alison Standen accused the Government of shielding Mr Jaensch from the consequences of his own incompetence.