Page 2568 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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The paramountcy of the legislature is well recognised in constitutional law, and the committee was careful to ensure that the separation of the powers and the absence of any reflection on the judiciary was maintained.
Propriety does not allow me to comment on the Federal Court appeal, other than to say that all committee members have been careful not to intrude in this area. I made an additional comment, since I was the practising lawyer on the committee, indicating that a mere authorisation to issue a lease without such authorisation being well founded in law and fact would be improper. I trust the Assembly and the media will take note of this statement, because it is not the first time that this reflection has been cast on the committee and committee members.
I am well aware of the current concerns of the judiciary regarding their tenure after 30 June 1989. I believe it is incumbent on the Chief Minister to make the proper guarantees at an early date, but in the meantime the relationship between the legislature and the judiciary is not well served by statements of this nature occurring at this time.
HOSPITAL CRISIS
Discussion of Matter of Public Importance
MR SPEAKER: I have received a letter from Mr Humphries proposing that a matter of public importance be submitted to the Assembly for discussion, namely:
The Minister for Community Services and Health's disastrous handling of the hospital crisis.
MR HUMPHRIES (3.15): Mr Speaker, only a fool would pretend that there is not, in our hospital system in the ACT at present, a crisis. More than a year ago, the then Minister with responsibility for the ACT, Clyde Holding, identified health as the critical problem facing the ACT, and he proceeded to appoint Dr Brendon Kearney to conduct a review of the ACT's hospital system. He did so in order to tackle what he saw as serious problems in that ACT health system. In particular, he indicated, among other things, that the ACT hospital system suffered from poor operating procedures, low morale and, above all, that it was too expensive.
At the same time, or shortly thereafter, the Minister also appointed an interim hospitals board. It was an interim board because, with self-government in the offing, it was naturally improper to set in concrete for too long a board which would manage the hospital system, and it was felt appropriate that this board should be one which made decisions for only 12 months, subject to reappointment. I will not comment at this stage on the extent to which it was expected by members of the community and, in
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