Page 378 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 23 February 1993
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MRS CARNELL (4.58): Madam Speaker, I felt that it was necessary to get up to put this into context. I do not believe that anyone on this side of the house would have any trouble at all debating a Bill, or a set of Bills, had we been given any indication at all as to why they were urgent. Yesterday when I was briefed, and I appreciate the briefing, by senior members of ACT Health on the two Bills in front of us today, I asked them, "Is there any need for these Bills to be debated this week? If there is, if you could get me that information, I will be able to relay it to my colleagues". I was told, "Well, no, there really is not any good reason. We are ready to go", I was told, "Well, we are ready to do it because the Minister has told us to do it".
When I asked, and I asked on a number of occasions, whether there were any good reasons, whether there were any financial implications in not going ahead this week so that we could look appropriately at these bits of legislation, I was told, "Well, no, there really are no real problems. There is no real reason that they have to go through this week". So there you go. The Board of Health is to change back to the Department of Health. The bit that is rather interesting in these pieces of legislation is the enshrining of the Medicare principles.
Mr Berry: You do not like that, do you?
MRS CARNELL: Actually, I think you do not like it. I think it is really quite funny. I am sure everybody has read Part II. By the way, I have read the bits of legislation. I have read it but have not had a chance to consult with people out there in the marketplace - something that I would assume everybody does. Part II - Mr Berry's very strongly held principles - goes on for a whole page - "Objectives", "Medicare principles and commitments". The bit that I just love - - -
Mr Berry: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. We will debate that after dinner.
MRS CARNELL: Okay, I will accept that. I was just making the point about how silly it is to believe that this legislation is in any way urgent or needs to be debated this week. Clause 6 of the legislation goes on to give us the legal effect of the whole of Part II. There is none.
Mr Kaine: You do not want to hear about it.
MRS CARNELL: You do not want to hear about this?
Mr Berry: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. We will debate that later on. She will have ample chance. Madam Speaker, we just want to talk about the attempt by the Liberals to adjourn debate on this issue.
Mr Kaine: We are just trying to explain to you why.
MRS CARNELL: Yes, why.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Carnell, I think you took the point of order before. Perhaps you could confine your comments to this motion before us.
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