Page 5248 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
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appoint a representative of the Australian Nursing Federation to the board. Suppose he said to the ANF, "Who would you like to put on the board?", and they said, "Ms Bloggs", and Ms Bloggs was duly appointed. If Ms Bloggs subsequently failed to remain a member of the ANF - - -
Mr Berry: It is up to the ANF. They do not have to - - -
MR HUMPHRIES: It is not; this is the point. Mr Berry does not understand. It is not up to the ANF. If Ms Bloggs ceases to be a member of the ANF Mr Berry has no power, as Minister, to remove her from the board unless he tries to treat quitting a union as misbehaviour, which I do not think it is, or physical or mental incapacity. The fact is that he has no - - -
Mr Berry: What about if the trade union movement put up a non-health professional? Say the ANF put up somebody who is not a health professional?
MR HUMPHRIES: All right; there is no problem. It does not matter.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Berry!
Mr Berry: He is a very, very sick Minister, this Minister.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, please!
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, Mr Berry does not understand what he is talking about. The fact is that he cannot appoint to the board on conditions of that kind. He cannot appoint to the board on the condition that the person remains a member of a health profession, or of a union, or of a legal fraternity, or anything of that kind. He cannot impose those conditions.
Mr Berry: But you can if you want to dump them.
MR HUMPHRIES: You can do that if they are an appointed person with a health professional background and it is appropriate that they no longer remain on the board because they have ceased to retain that health professional background, at least in terms of formal registration or membership of a professional association. Do not forget also, Mr Speaker, that it is a discretionary power. It is not compulsory for a Minister to take someone off who has failed, for example, to be in a particular category. There might be good reasons for that. But certainly the Minister ought to have the power where that person ceases to be a member of that professional association.
MR SPEAKER: The question is: That the amendment moved by Mr Berry be agreed to. Those of that opinion say Aye, of the contrary No.
Government members: No.
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