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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 4 Hansard (17 April) . . Page.. 989 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

dealing with this issue. I should emphasise that the motion certainly does not exclude that possibility. The motion quite clearly would include that possibility. It just calls for investigation. No doubt Mr Berry will talk about this when he exercises his right of reply, but my understanding is that it is something that needs to be done.

We want to know whether the allegations of other animals being treated are true, and we also want to understand what it is about this general culture of arrogance, and how we should change it, that would not so much allow doctors to take this action in the first place but allow them to stand up and defend the action as being right and reasonable.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Minister for Health and Community Care) (11.58), by leave: I have two amendments to the motion that I want to put at this stage.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Have they been circulated?

MRS CARNELL: I am doing it right now.

Mr Berry: Is one to get the Commissioner for Health Complaints involved?

MRS CARNELL: Yes.

Mr Berry: Well, do not worry about it. I agree with that. If you offer that as a solution, that will be fine.

MRS CARNELL: As I said in my speech, I am happy for the Commissioner for Health Complaints to look at this issue. Under section 11 of the Health Complaints Act, I, as Minister, can refer issues of this ilk to the Health Complaints Commissioner. I was going to suggest that we amend this - - -

Mr Berry: You do not have to.

MRS CARNELL: I think we do. I think paragraph (5), "any other related matter", can stay in, but paragraphs (3) and (4) of this motion have nothing to do with the dog or the related allegations or whatever.

Mr Berry: Yes, they do.

MRS CARNELL: I do not think they do. I think the Health Complaints Commissioner would have an enormous amount of difficulty in looking at the responsibility of the hospital in relation to our Medicare agreement and so on.

Mr Berry: All right.

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