Page 308 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 31 May 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
the overall delivery of acute health services in the ACT, his position on the committee is entirely relevant.
Also on the committee will be Mr Hicks, the executive manager for ACT Community and Health Service, who will provide a management and coordinating role in the planning processes associated with the redevelopment of the ACT hospital systems; Dr McLaughlin, the Director of Policy Planning and Research, ACT Community and Health Service, who will provide specialist resources and advice that is required in determining the strategic health directions of health in the ACT; Dr Richard Madden, of course, the Head of Treasury, ACT Administration; Dr Care, a director of Infrastructure Division of the ACT Administration, who will provide specialist advice to government through the Office of City Management; Mr Collins, who is in the Policy Development Branch of ACT Administration. I think that list really exemplifies the need - - -
Mrs Nolan: There are not many women - in fact no women.
MR BERRY: I am coming to a woman.
Mrs Nolan: The token woman.
MR BERRY: I would draw Mrs Nolan's attention to the fact that Dr Vin McLaughlin is a woman, but those people were appointed of course before this Government came to power. I can assure Mrs Nolan that, had the circumstances presented themselves to this Government, the balance might have been quite different. But, contrary to what the Leader of the Opposition said yesterday, we have improved the balance and I thank Mr Moore for his congratulatory message to those two appointees.
I do not think other people have an equivalent claim to that of those who have been appointed, particularly the people who have been mentioned. Whilst it would be best if all facets of the community could be represented on the steering committee, it would be somewhat difficult to manage if we had single representatives from all facets of the community. The appointment of Mr McDonald and Ms Power - another woman - to the committee will strengthen it and provide the broad community base which is necessary to ensure that its deliberations are in the best shape possible when those deliberations come forward for this Government to consider.
I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that the appointment of those people was not done on the basis of patronage and favouritism, as he accused yesterday. It was done on the basis of community members who can provide a very strong input to a very important issue which will face this committee in the very near future. The Leader of the Opposition will be well aware that the Secretary of the ACT Trades and Labour Council was a former Health Authority member and has a long history of representing the community in this fair city, as has Ms Power.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .