Page 4054 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 24 November 1993
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The Liberals' position on the VMOs has been at best ambiguous. The traditional role of the Liberals has been to defend the privileged across this country, and they are at it again. Mrs Carnell says, "Quickly, reinstate their very high incomes; quickly, please. They cannot survive without it".
Mr De Domenico: No, she did not say that.
MR BERRY: She said that in a press release.
Mr Humphries: That is not true.
MR BERRY: Here it goes: "The Minister should extend the existing contracts".
Mr Connolly: Yes, reinstate those high wage rates.
MR BERRY: Reinstate those high wages. Nothing would change.
VMOs have various sources of income. It is not uncommon to see them earning $500,000 a year. In fact, it is becoming more common, and they want it to be more common still. The end has to come to that sort of growth in medical costs. We have to do something. We have to make a stand, and we are doing so. They must go to arbitration and cop the arbitrator's outcome. We have provided them with an avenue to do that. All they need to do is demonstrate good faith, and you should use your influence to make sure that they do.
Mr Humphries: Madam Speaker, on a point of order: Mr Berry interjected during Mrs Carnell's remarks to describe her as "You silly woman". I think that comment is unparliamentary.
Mr Berry: I withdraw it.
Mr Humphries: It is also quite clearly a sexist slur on Mrs Carnell.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, he has withdrawn it. Could we have points of order taken when they arise, as far as possible?
MR DE DOMENICO (11.23): Madam Speaker, while we are on the people calling people names syndrome, quite obviously, after Mr Lamont and Mr Berry have spoken, we have now been exposed to industrial relations ALP style in the ACT. We need to think about some of the things the Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations has said about visiting medical officers. It is no wonder that we are in the position we find ourselves in now. Let us look at what Mr Berry has said from time to time. On the Matthew Abraham show last Monday morning Mr Berry said:
Well, I guess it boils down to how long the VMOs are prepared to continue with their dishonourable behaviour.
Mr Berry again, on the same program, said:
They're only interested in lining their pockets ... and they don't care about the discomfort of patients. I mean, we're dealing with a different breed of people here.
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