Page 4999 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 26 November 1991
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Mr Connolly: Mr Collaery laughs hysterically, Hansard should record.
MR BERRY: All the people with smiles on their faces think it is funny that members of the board might be so concerned about the management of their hospital system that they might resign as a result of this gross interference. The board is deeply concerned about this issue, and I intend to manage it. I am very concerned about it. I have expressed these concerns in this place before when you people moved to interfere with the - - -
Mr Jensen: If you had not been so flippant earlier on, we would not have had this problem.
MR BERRY: What you want to do is let me get on with the way that I manage the board and ensure that the hospital service is properly looked after. I said to you the other night: If you are fair dinkum about this and you want to move that the board do certain things, why do you not do it by way of changing the legislation? If you do not want the board to manage, why do you not just move to get rid of them? What I am concerned about is maintaining continuity in the management of our hospital system and ensuring that there are no further disruptions, or that there are as few disruptions as is possible, given the political instability that exists in this place.
Mr Speaker, it is important that the board be allowed to get on with the job. It is important that the Government maintain its commitment to that board, and we will do so because the continuity of level-headed management in our health system is extremely important. A decision of the Assembly has been taken and I have said that I will accept the decision; and I will do so. There is nothing more to be said on the matter.
Wednesday, 27 November 1991
MR HUMPHRIES (12.03 am): Some of us were wise enough to realise that this was going to come, and of course it has. As usual, it is not clear what the Minister is saying; but I gather that he is telling us in no uncertain terms that we are going to find it very hard to get, if we are not going to be totally refused, the information that the Assembly sought the other day about the health budget. Mr Speaker, I might indicate quite clearly that I think Mr Berry has dishonoured a commitment he made to the Assembly.
Mr Connolly: That is outrageous.
MR HUMPHRIES: Let us be quite clear about something: Mr Berry, you were facing a motion of censure in the Assembly. You said, in response to that motion, that you would undertake to provide certain information to the Assembly within 48 hours of receiving it. You now seem to be
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