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Other Parliamentary SpeechesThis page is dedicated to Peter's speeches during parliament that do not fall under Questions or Questions without notice. They range from debating legislation, reporting on events or issues in his seat of Southport and his Ministerial Statements.
Gold Coast Health Service open day; car parking, Southport |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Mar 22 2005 |
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Mr LAWLOR (Southport-ALP) (12.26 pm): I draw the attention of the House to the Gold Coast Health Service open day, which was held Saturday week ago at the Gold Coast Hospital, Southport campus. It proved to be an overwhelming success. The activity was well received by approximately 1,500 members of the public who visited on that day. I was one of those 1,500. Its success was due largely to the input of more than 85 health service staff involved in the planning and running of the event.
It was a great initiative to help break down the barriers and welcome the community into their local hospital. Community members had the chance to speak with the people who provide and deliver services. It also helped to dispel some of the myths about public health services, because it highlighted the many services and activities that are provided to our community on a day-to-day basis. Five behind-the-scenes tours were run to separate areas on the half-hour. These tours took in the cardiac catheter suite, which I went to; pathology; ICU and operating theatres; food services; and medical imaging. There were over 40 stalls or displays. Many included hands-on activities.
Those who participated included the Gold Coast Hospital Auxiliary, Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, Griffith University, Bond University, the Break Away youth mental health support group, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police Service, Australian Red Cross, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Queensland Renal Association, Home and Community Care, St Luke's Nursing Service, Commonwealth Carelink Centre, Queensland Cancer Fund and Monash University. Other participants included ABC Radio 91.7, the Gold Coast City Council, Anthony of Balloon King, Trixie the Clown, Spacewalker, Dreamworld, 60 and Better and Eat Me Wild. I know that many members will be wondering what that is about. It is actually about native bush tucker.
Other activities included presentations; demonstrations such as boxercise, Tai Chi and line dancing; children's entertainment, such as Dreamworld and Spacewalker characters, clowns, face painting and make your own stethoscope; and a Nurse of the Year sausage sizzle. There was also bush tucker, Devonshire teas and live outside broadcasts by the local ABC radio station. The open day utilised a large area of the hospital, including the main foyer, rehabilitation gymnasium and garden, tents in the outdoor parking lot and two floors of open space, the specialist outpatient department and a number of consulting rooms, plus the tour areas.
My thanks go to Amanda Noonan for her assistance with the information she provided me both on that day and subsequently. I mentioned that I went to the cardiac catheter suite, which has now been open since Monday week ago. That centre is expected to treat 2,000 patients per annum. That is 2,000 patients who do not have to travel to Brisbane for the treatment that they will receive in that centre. It is an excellent centre staffed by excellent people.
In the short time remaining, I would like to mention another issue which is near and dear to my heart, and that is the issue of parking in Southport. There are articles referred to at various times by people in the Gold Coast City Council and they have been reported in the Gold Coast Bulletin but it refers to a report that has been issued which says that there will be no shortfall of parking until 2030. I am here to tell the House that that is absolute rubbish. The fact is that there is a parking crisis in Southport right now. WorkCover and the Department of Housing have left and have gone to Robina together with at least one major legal firm, and part of the reason is a lack of parking available in Southport.
I have been recently informed that the titles office is moving from Bundall and it is also going to Robina. The titles office wanted to move to Southport and there were three different sites that they inspected but the parking was absolutely impossible. It is going to get even worse because the medical school which opens in a matter of weeks will have 700 students, lecturers and so on. So there are an extra 700 people who will be in Southport looking for car parking.
It has been widely reported in the press that a parking station was proposed on the Athol Patterson car park by Leighton Properties. That was torpedoed by the Gold Coast City Council because it refused to remove about 87 centre parking car parks outside of the hospital, notwithstanding that it has been acknowledged by the police, the ambulance and various other organisations that that parking is dangerous. So I call on the Gold Coast City Council to address this critical issue of the shortage of car parking in Southport. Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 11:00 PM
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