Page 5263 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I have just made a suggestion to Mr Humphries, that a six-month commencement date for these clauses would be one way to get around the minor differences, because I see them as minor differences. Certainly, in my discussions with Mr Humphries I consider them as minor differences between us. We are both keen to see that this legislation does have the ability to ensure that quality assurance and the accreditation of our hospitals are achieved. We see it as important, and we want to ensure that it can be done. I quite accept what Mr Humphries was saying, namely, that often it is better to cajole and to encourage and to attempt to achieve things in that way; but the reality is that your negotiating position is always so much stronger when at the end of the day everybody knows that the power is there to take the action. I think that the best compromise here - after we get to the end of this Bill - is to come back and to introduce an amendment in the commencement section of the Bill to the effect that these clauses will commence in June next year, in six months' time, 13 June.
I think that is clearly the best and most sensible compromise to make. That way the doctors will have their opportunity. They will know also that they have a deadline. If they do not meet the deadline, it automatically comes in. If they do meet the deadline, we have to take the action of - - -
Mr Humphries: It is coercive, though; it is still coercive.
Mr Berry: You do not mind coercing people to close their hospitals.
MR MOORE: "It is coercive", says the Minister. It is all right, Wayne; I can answer him.
Mr Berry: Can you?
MR MOORE: "It is coercive", says the Minister. Indeed, if I can quote - - -
Mr Berry: You do it very well.
MR MOORE: He was not too worried about coerciveness as far as the schools went, and not too worried about coerciveness as far as closing the schools went; he should not get too worried about coerciveness as far as the HEF goes. I do not hear you interjecting there, Mr Berry. That is certainly the case.
I think it is quite clear that this legislation has certainly had an impact on the doctors. They are concerned about it. Good. So, let us leave them to be concerned; let us leave those clauses in or make the compromise. The best thing is just to leave them in. The compromise is to say, "Let them come in in six months' time". We can even
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .