Page: 9079
Personal Explanation
Mr ANDREW STONER, by leave: Yesterday the Minister for Energy and Utilities, representing the Minister for Health, gave a supplementary answer to a question I asked concerning a storm and subsequent water intrusion at Lithgow Hospital. The Minister stated, "The Leader of The Nationals got it wrong." I acknowledge that there was one minor inaccuracy in my question. However, the substance of the question was based on fact. The inaccuracy in my question was a referral to a storm earlier this year; in fact, the storm was on 3 December 2003, hence my question should have stated "late last year" rather than "earlier this year". For that inaccuracy, I apologise to the House. The Minister implied that other parts of my question were also inaccurate. It is a fact that rainwater leaked through the roof during the storm on 3 December last year. As a result, the interior of the hospital was wet and a radiographer received an electric shock and was admitted for observation on the same day. Those matters are of concern for patients and staff at Lithgow Hospital, and I make no apology for raising them.