ACT Labor and Greens MLAs have rejected a Canberra Liberals' push to force the government to release key documents about the capital's health system, in the wake of a series of damning reports about its operations.
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The government and minor party on Wednesday voted down a lengthy motion from Opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne demanding Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris table a series of documents.
It follows Mrs Dunne on Tuesday attempting to pass a motion expressing no confidence in Ms Fitzharris' performance in the role, an Opposition attack which ultimately failed to get the crucial Greens' support.
Mrs Dunne's motion cited a series of recent revelations about failures in the hospital, ranging from failures to meet national accreditation standards at ACT Health hospitals, to overcrowding at the Centenary Womens' and Childrens' Hospital.
Mrs Dunne also cited recent media reports highlighting rising waiting times in the Canberra Hospital's emergency department and on public health elective surgery waiting lists.
She said Ms Fitzharris had "lurched from crisis to crisis" since taking office in October 2016, but that since July last year, "the crises have been increasingly of her own making".
The motion urged Ms Fitzharris table documents relating to how the government planned to meet the accreditation standards, update the Assembly on plans for the Centenary Hospital and the planned split of ACT Health, variously between Wednesday or in June.
But Ms Fitzharris rejected the Opposition's concerns, saying she had met as recently as yesterday with health staff about the restructure, and was continually meeting and receiving updates on the Centenary Hospital and accreditation process.
She acknowledged some ongoing issues, including tabling the anonymous letter that revealed problems in Centenary Hospital about a fortnight ago, which had "concerned me greatly", prompting forums with staff since.
Ms Fitzharris said the government was also working on a new strategy for maternity services at the "popular" south-side hospital, encouraging expectant north-side mothers with fewer complications to consider the Calvary Bruce Hospital.
The minister tabled an equally lengthy amendment to Mrs Dunne's motion, replacing the original motion with one noting "initial feedback" on the accreditation failures and various other issues and government funding.
Ms Fitzharris' amendment also called on the government to provide correspondence on the Centenary Hospital's maternity services in August this year, update the Assembly on the accreditation in June, and update the Assembly on the agency split in October.
Greens leader and Mental Health Minister Shane Rattenbury said the minor party would not support Mrs Dunne's motion, because of the Opposition's failed attempt the previous day to pass a motion of "no confidence" in Ms Fitzharris' performance in the health portfolio.
Mr Rattenbury said Mrs Dunne took many opportunities to prosecute such issues in the Assembly on Tuesday's motion, and the Greens did not believe the latest motion presented a "full and accurate" picture of the government's work in health. Ms Fitzharris' amendment ultimately passed on Wednesday.
