Page 4104 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 24 November 1993
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As well as that, he has a dispute in the Industrial Relations Commission with his senior semiprofessional staff, meaning the social workers, the pharmacists and so on.
Mr Berry: Wow!
MRS CARNELL: Because, Mr Berry, your approach is to let people know that their jobs no longer exist by sending out a memo. If that is good management, I honestly do not understand management at all.
Mr Berry: That is right.
MRS CARNELL: You think it is appropriate to send out memos?
Mr Berry: No, no; you just do not understand it at all. You got that right.
MRS CARNELL: Ms Follett has to get rid of this Minister.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (4.19): Well, where do we start from? We will start with her inane comments about waiting lists. As you can see from this graph - - -
Mrs Carnell: No.
Mr De Domenico: No, we cannot.
MR BERRY: I will send you a copy. As you will see from the figures that are provided to you, the number of people who are waiting less than three months is increasing, and the number of people who are waiting more than 12 months is decreasing, from March to September, as you would know. You can also see that there is a great deal of pressure on waiting lists because more people are being put on the waiting lists by their doctors. In relation to the health professions restructure - I will go to that one first - she made some silly remark about people being notified by memo. You might not be aware of this.
Mrs Carnell: I am.
MR BERRY: Are you? Well, why did you not tell us? Earlier this year Health finalised a joint review of the provision of senior health professional services with the Public Sector Union, in concert with the union. This review arose from an agreement made for the amalgamation of Royal Canberra Hospital and Woden Valley Hospital. The general finding of the review was that there was a top-heavy management structure, as you would expect, as the two services amalgamated. The union rejected the review, but ACT Health must - - -
Mrs Carnell: You went along anyway and sent out letters telling people that their jobs were gone.
MR BERRY: Listen. ACT Health must ensure that it is getting the best value for the health dollar; so it has put a proposal for a restructure to the union for comment. Under the auspices of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, both parties are now working through an exchange of information and consultation process with staff prior to the final decision about a new structure. Should a new structure involve a change to any jobs - - -
Mr De Domenico: Sack them by fax machine.
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