Page 6176 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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I agree with Mr Moore that the Residents Rally originally had a joint policy. It was our policy that the membership of the board would be honorary. I also agree that the nature of that operation, the nature of the institution, has changed. Furthermore, we are in the process of changing our policies, and we do not now have, in our draft policy, a requirement that membership of the board be honorary. So, given the excellent case being made for some payment, and I do not think it is an expensive payment or a grandiose payment, the Rally will support this legislation.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (12.30), in reply: There is little for me to say in response to what has been said in relation to this amendment Bill which has been proposed by the Government. The board will work for their money; there is no question about that. It is not an issue of whether they work hard enough or not; it is an issue of principle as to whether people ought to be paid for duties performed in the interests of the community.
In many respects, people work for nothing; but in statutory positions such as this it seems to me that the responsibilities are far weightier. I think members well recognise that board members have the burden of our health system on their shoulders. They have been the subject of much criticism and much public notice. In fact, they have been the subject of much attention in this Assembly. Without going into that and the respective positions of members of the Assembly on what the board ought or ought not do in relation to its obligation to the Assembly, it is, nevertheless, a greater burden that the board will have to bear during its term of office, and members will be aware that sooner or later the terms of board members will expire.
The most important thing is that we need to ensure that professionals who offer their services to the board are not disadvantaged in any way, and that a reason for their leaving the board is not that they cannot afford to offer their services to the community. I think this amendment Bill will satisfy that issue, and many others, and it will put the board on an equal footing with similar organisations which perform similar management tasks throughout the community. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 12.32 to 2.30 pm
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