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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2514 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: I must say I certainly would regard any allegations about activities by the Liberal Students Club at the university as a matter of concern to the Liberal Party, but obviously those opposite seem to have no regard for what happens there. Let me close, Mr Speaker, by saying that I think it is most important that we are not encouraging anybody to involve themselves in illegal activity. The party on this side of the chamber stands very firmly in favour of people behaving ethically and legally on all occasions and we believe that members of our party generally do. I hope that those opposite would take seriously their responsibility to resolve questions of fairness, fair play and legal activity on the part of their own members.

MS McRAE: My question is to the Chief Minister in her capacity as Minister for Health. I am raising issues of concern arising from investigations by the Medical Board and the Health Complaints Commissioner. In July last year, following concerns raised about the professional actions of a Canberra surgeon, the Chief Minister wrote to the Medical Board advising them that she believed an urgent investigation was important. In August the Chief Minister also directed the Health Complaints Commissioner to conduct an inquiry. In February 1997 the Health Complaints Commissioner said the case was his top priority. Six months ago, in February, Mr Moore expressed his concern that the serious allegations were still unresolved after eight months. He said, "How many more people have to be put at risk while a slow, laborious investigation continues?". Has the Chief Minister received the report of the Medical Board and the Health Complaints Commissioner? If not, what action has the Chief Minister taken to speed up these inquiries since she was first alerted to the problem over 12 months ago?

MRS CARNELL: The answer to that is no, I have not got the report of the Medical Board or, for that matter, the Health Complaints Commissioner. Ms McRae might like to tell me what power I have over either of those bodies to direct them. I would be very interested.

MS McRAE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I repeat that the Chief Minister wrote to the Medical Board advising them that she believed an urgent investigation was important. When will the Chief Minister act to speed up this matter? You have acted once before.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, as I have said in this place before, yes, I believe that this is taking far too long. There is no doubt about that. It is taking far too long.

Mr Berry: When are you going to do something about it? You said that 13 months ago.

MR SPEAKER: Careful!

MRS CARNELL: What I have said to those opposite is that it would be a really good idea if they read the legislation for the Health Complaints Commissioner, who operates at arm's length from government. Certainly, we can ask the Health Complaints Commissioner to investigate a particular issue. We can ask the Health Complaints Commissioner to speed it up. All of that has been done. We can suggest to the - - -

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