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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1805 ..
MRS CARNELL (continuing):
Stabilising the spiralling costs of workers compensation was a key priority for this Government when we took office last year; so I am delighted to be able to report to this Assembly that for the first time since self-government our Comcare premium will actually fall in 1996-97. Taking into account the fact that we budgeted for a $3.5m increase and that we will also benefit from a discount for early payment, the total budget savings will be approximately $4m. This is a dividend from better management. It is as simple as that. For a problem that for several years was put in the too-hard basket by those opposite, it shows that the benefits can be very real.
It is interesting over the years to have heard Mr Berry always speak about how he was the workers' friend. I do not think the 422 people who were on long-term compo when we came to government would believe that that was a friendly thing to do. I am absolutely confident that nobody wants to be on long-term compensation. I believe strongly, as I am sure everyone on this side of the house does, that compensation and rehabilitation are very important issues.
Mr Berry: No; I think you are a joke. You kicked them off workers compensation.
MRS CARNELL: Again, Mr Berry seems to believe that it is actually a funny issue, but for the people involved it is very real. We have made sure that all of the 422 cases now either have been resolved or have management plans in place - management plans that simply did not occur until this Government came to power. That means management plans to get people back into the work force or, alternatively, into some other form of quality of life that is appropriate for the particular person. I can guarantee to those opposite that nobody has been thrown off their Comcare benefits.
MR KAINE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. During the Chief Minister's response, I clearly heard Mr Berry say that the Chief Minister was a joke. Given that the Chief Minister has achieved savings of $4m for the ACT taxpayer, does the Chief Minister agree that the joke seems to be on Mr Berry?
MRS CARNELL: It certainly does. A situation where Comcare premiums went up from $15m to $33m over a four-year period is simply not a joke. That is money that could have been spent on other issues; it could have been spent on health, education, community services - all those sorts of things that improve quality of life. What certainly does not improve quality of life is having people on Comcare benefits for 45 weeks plus.
MR BERRY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister in her capacity as Minister for Health and Community Care. Will the Chief Minister explain how she intends to change the Medicare agreement in order that higher charges can be made against other States, particularly New South Wales, whose residents use our health system?
MRS CARNELL: It has already been done. The reality is that this year we have come to an agreement with New South Wales for New South Wales not to pay us national averages. In fact, New South Wales is paying us, I think, $3,145 per patient instead of the $2,400 that was paid under your Government. It is simply a matter of negotiation,
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