Mr KERRY HICKEY (Cessnock) [1.35 p.m.]: I bring to the attention of the House the Kurri Kurri District Hospital. It was only a few weeks ago that the hospital received the 2007-08 award for the best-performing hospital in a small rural community at the tenth annual New South Wales Health Awards held in Sydney. The New South Wales Minister for Health, the Hon. John Della Bosca, said that the awards provide an opportunity to thank all health staff for their outstanding contributions to the wellbeing of the community. I totally agree with him.

However, this issue goes a little further. The Garling report recommends the closure of the emergency department at the Kurri Kurri District Hospital. The community is totally opposed to the closure of any more health services in Cessnock or Kurri Kurri. Mr Coogan Frame, a former Freeman of the City of Cessnock and a strong advocate for the Kurri Kurri District Hospital would be turning in his grave as we speak. My electorate office has been inundated with calls about this issue. I keep telling people that it is only a recommendation in the report; it is not government policy. I will ensure that the Minister is fully aware that my community is totally opposed to any closure of any health service across the Cessnock electorate. Other changes are being made to government services in the area, but this is the number one issue of concern. Kurri Kurri retired miners made it very clear to me at a Christmas function I attended that they will rally against any closure. Cessnock retired miners have also said that they will rally against any such proposal.

The Minister has accepted an invitation to a meeting at Kurri Kurri District Hospital with the nurses and doctors to discuss the issues facing the hospital. The issues are very clear. Hunter New England Area Health Service has run down services across the Kurri Kurri and Cessnock area. No new doctors have been brought to the area despite the fact that the health service has been trying to recruit them for nine years. The efforts of the area health service are pretty poor if we are not attracting doctors to this wonderful area. The delivery of services at local hospitals is second to none, and the recent award to Kurri Kurri District Hospital is evidence of that. The bottom line is that the Hunter New England Area Health Service needs a good rocket under it. It must understand that it cannot have a top-heavy staffing structure. There must be staff on the ground. I challenge the Minister to compare the number of administrative staff in the health service with the number at the coalface. That is the problem. I would rather have staff at the coalface delivering services to our communities, which is what our communities expect.

About four weeks ago I had a meeting with Dr Nigel Lyons, who told me very clearly that the emergency department at Kurri Kurri District Hospital would not be closed. He was trying to push the Treasury line of moving beds out of the Kurri Kurri area, but I was not wearing any of that, and I am not wearing any of this either. Frankly, any change to delivery of service other than to benefit communities in my electorate would be an appalling move, and I would condemn anyone who tried to make such a move. If I am to represent my community fairly, honestly and rightly, I have a right to do that as a member of Parliament, and I will do that. The Hunter New England Area Health Service should have a good long look at itself and the way it is delivering services across the Cessnock electorate.