Page 4600 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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I am writing to seek your support to enable the Board to undertake its day to day financial management responsibilities to the Government without undue publicity.
I request this in view of the Estimates Committee desire to see monthly budget performance reports. I also understand that the unions have now requested this information on a regular basis.
Health's monthly budget reports are management reports. They are made available to the Board, yourself -
referring to me -
and the Treasury and through Treasury, as part of a Government wide report, to the Chief Minister and Treasurer. I do not know what arrangements apply to other Government Departments, but I would be surprised if their reports were made available for wider scrutiny. I do not believe Health should be treated any differently.
The Government has public accountability mechanisms in place which I fully support. The Board will endeavour to meet these requirements in full.
I wrote to you on 1 October 1991 about the health system being used as a political football (and a media one). Further opportunities should not be provided to entrench the view that health is fair game.
I therefore ask that you advise the Estimates Committee and the Unions (should they seek your assistance in this matter) that it would be inappropriate to provide them with confidential management reports such as the monthly financial report.
That is the position that I have expressed in this place because of the request by the chairman of the board, with whom I agree. I think they should be given an opportunity to do the work which was decided for them by this Assembly. Now I read to you, Mr Speaker, section 6 of the Health Services Act:
6.(1) The Board has the following functions:
(a) to provide health services for the residents of the Territory and, as appropriate, for the residents of the surrounding region;
(b) to manage the health services and health facilities under its control;
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