Today’s session of the state parliament began with a commemoration of the recently deceased Red Cross President and former state politician Walter Aichinger. In the question time that followed, the SPÖ raised the issue of empty beds in the hospitals of the Upper Austrian health holding company – the oral question to Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander (VP) revealed that 358 beds are currently blocked there, partly due to a lack of staff. Last year there were 432.
Data and facts were also the subject of the inquiry by Green MP Anne-Sophie Bauer. She wanted to know from State Councilor Michaela Langer-Weninger (VP) how high the costs incurred by the state due to storm-related damage to agriculture are this year. Langer-Weninger put these costs – caused by drought, frost, etc. – at 38 million euros, not including the damage from the recent flood.
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The flood in question was also the subject of a current affairs session – in addition to thanking the emergency services and helpers, relief and protection measures as well as renaturation were discussed. Different approaches were inevitable – especially with regard to the latter – but the atmosphere of the discussion was nevertheless calm.
Call for stronger control
An initiative proposal from the Greens and Neos was discussed beforehand. Based on the Linz LIVA affair, they called for the audit offices in Linz, Wels and Steyr to be upgraded to independent city audit offices. The club leaders Severin Mayr (Greens) and Felix Eypeltauer (Neos) stressed that it was urgently necessary to tighten up the statutes and expand control rights – especially with a view to the publication of the reports. “Let’s not wait for the next scandal before we do something,” said Mayr.
Image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
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Image: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
Support came from the third President of the State Parliament, Peter Binder (SP), who also spoke out in favor of strengthening the control instruments. Christian Dörfel, VP parliamentary group leader and designated successor to State Councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, was open to a “constructive” debate, but warned against too much euphoria. FP parliamentary group leader Herwig Mahr spoke of a “misleading label.” He emphasized that the control offices are not subject to instructions, and that everything that is legally possible at the state level has already been implemented.
The motion did not find a majority and ended up in the committee for further discussion. The Greens criticized the black-blue no: The two state parties would embarrass their colleagues in Linz, who wanted the upgrade. The black-blue coalition wanted to keep the inspection offices on a short leash, but the Greens would give “all their strength” in the committee to end the blockade. The Neos spoke of a regrettable decision and demanded that the inspection reports be published immediately.
Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP), State Councillor for Social Affairs and Integration, took agenda item 6.4 – a question from the FP on the Upper Austrian social welfare model and its exemplary effects for the federal government – as an opportunity to take stock. As reported, his future place of work is Vienna, he will be Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce and is a candidate for the National Council. Hattmannsdorfer will resign from his government mandate in the state on October 23rd.
The 44-year-old did not hide the fact that his departure was accompanied by sadness. His acceptance speech was addressed to a wide range of people – from his own parliamentary group (“We are the coolest club”) to his political competitors, to the employees in the state house and external partners.
The integration area in particular is deeply ideological, said Hattmannsdorfer, stressing that it has nevertheless always been possible to find good solutions and put party tactics aside. He backed this up with a number of examples – including the skilled worker strategy for nursing. It was an honour for him to be able to work as a state councillor, it had given him “a lot of pleasure”, he concluded his last speech to the state parliament. Then the session took its usual course.
