Page 5168 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Clause 10
MR BERRY (11.34): I move:
Page 6, after paragraph 10(1)(b), add the following new paragraph:
"(c) At least five members shall be chosen from peak community agencies, trade unions, non-Government service providers and consumer organisations. In any event at least half the Board membership shall be women.".
The issue that is before us now concerns the make-up of the board. That has very serious implications for the community and for the delivery of public hospital services. In the earlier debate in relation to the functions of the board we heard about the cuts to hospital services which are currently in place as a result of the policies on health of the Government opposite.
I think that can be clarified by pointing to the massive explosion of waiting lists for elective surgery in our hospitals. It is very interesting that the Government was very careful not to refer to the absence of waiting lists for private hospital services, and the absence of any ability in the private sector to fill already approved beds.
Mr Jensen: Relevance.
MR BERRY: Of course, Mr Jensen cries out in despair "Relevance". He cannot even make the important connection between having strong community representation on the board and the delivery of public hospital services to the community. I lament the absence of mind that Mr Jensen has on that subject but - - -
Mr Jensen: I accept your statement, Mr Berry, just to get it on the record.
MR BERRY: I thank Mr Jensen for his acceptance of my statement. What the Labor Opposition sets out to do is to remove our concerns at the lack of community involvement in one of the most important areas of human service. It is a big dollar area for the ACT budget as well. The community, of course, has a right to know about, and a right to be involved in, the delivery of public hospital services in the Territory, but what the Government is proposing in fact limits the involvement of the community. This is the Government that criticised the consultative model which was proposed by the Australian Labor Party when in government, when it set out to involve the community in a ministerial advisory process to develop policies for the then Government.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .