The ACT Liberals have finally unveiled their health policy six days out from the election, promising to cut waiting lists with new emergency departments and an elective surgery ''super theatre''.
But Health Minister Katy Gallagher said the policy would effectively slash $100million from the health budget and described it as either ''very silly or fraud''.
The Liberals also confirmed they would reopen Hall, Flynn, Cook and Tharwa schools, a promise first flagged early last month.
Liberals leader Zed Seselja said the party would provide 37 new emergency beds, add another 80 hospital beds and build an elective surgery ''super theatre'' at Calvary Hospital.
The new building would include three new operating theatres while the Liberals would also increase funding for elective surgery by $10.5million.
The new facilities, coupled with a previously announced plan to set up three government-run GP clinics, would help reduce waiting lists across the ACT.
Copies of the policy were not available and Mr Seselja gave only a brief press conference afterwards to outline his plans.
He said the Liberals' health policy would cost $35million in capital and recurrent funding.
''It's an increase over and above what Labor has committed,'' he said.
But the Liberals would not take any special measures to staff the new emergency departments and theatres.
''We will get staff in the same way we've announced previously,'' he said.
''Only the Canberra Liberals have a plan to actually seek out these professionals and attract them to Canberra.''
The policy includes $20million in emergency department funding but no capital spending to build the new departments.
Ms Gallagher said she was ''absolutely stunned'' by the Liberals' policy, which contained discrepancies between announcements and costings.
She said the Liberals had announced extra beds and buildings but had not committed any funding to construct or staff the facilities.
''The allocations they've made today won't go anywhere near to cope with what we know is coming,'' she said.
''This will create a massive crisis in the health system if this is their plan for the next four years.''
Ms Gallagher said the plan as it stood was undeliverable and lacked provision for capital upgrades, proper staffing and health technology.
Mr Seselja denied the Liberals had left it too late to announce their health policy.
''It's fully costed and all there for Canberrans to see. This is obviously a centrepiece and I think it's appropriate to have it at our launch.''
The Liberals also committed to the Government's $90million plan to build a women's and children's hospital in Canberra, but said they would add a new $3million ''transitional'' ward for women suffering post-natal depression or complications after birth.
Shadow health minister Jacqui Burke stood beside Mr Seselja at the press conference but did not speak on the policy.
The pledge to reopen Cook, Hall, Tharwa and Flynn schools has previously been welcomed by community groups and the lobby group Save Our Schools.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope described the announcement as ''short term and populist''.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff