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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (4 November) . . Page.. 3540 ..
MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):
can prescribe these matters or that it is desirable to prescribe these matters. I will say, though, that, as Mr Wood is now aware, there is a review going on of the agreement with the Commonwealth. This is the agreement that he did not know anything about until it was announced in the Estimates Committee last year. That review will no doubt produce a better refinement of the services that we contract with the Commonwealth for. If there is an appropriate way of dealing with the issue that he has raised in that context, then we will do so. But I am not sure that there is.
MR CORBELL: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, on 23 September, in relation to investigations by the Medical Board and the Health Complaints Commissioner into allegations concerning a Canberra surgeon, you informed this house that a hearing date had been set by the Medical Board for the middle of October. Minister, what is the outcome of the Medical Board's inquiry?
MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I do not know. The Medical Board does not actually report to me, as Mr Corbell, I would assume, would know. The Medical Board is set up under legislation as a separate entity. It does not report to the Minister for Health and has very definite sanctions that it can put in place. I will certainly find out for members whether that inquiry is over or whether any decision has been taken. But again I am fascinated that those opposite do not actually know that our health boards do not report to the Minister or are not responsible to the Minister.
Mr Speaker, I am fascinated today. At the last sitting of this place I started to think, "Maybe there is a future for those opposite", because Mr Berry made comments that he was going to focus on the big picture, the things that matter, jobs, getting on with the job, getting this economy working. Today in question time, we have had from those opposite questions on signs at the Acton arena; school visits by MLAs - - -
Mr Corbell: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I draw your attention to relevance. The Chief Minister is not answering the question; but if I can ask a supplementary question, my supplementary question is: Will the Minister undertake to provide this information to the Assembly by close of business today?
MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I just answered that question.
Mr Corbell: No; you did not. You did not answer it.
MRS CARNELL: Those opposite can amend the legislation, if they choose and they have the numbers, to make the Medical Board responsible to the relevant Minister; but the legislation that we all passed set this body up as an independent body that does not report to the Health Minister or to the Chief Minister. Mr Speaker, on that basis: As I said in response to the first part of the question, yes, I can ask the Medical Board what has happened. When I have that information I can certainly give it to the Assembly. I am more than happy to do so. But I have no capacity under the Act to direct the Medical Board on how they conduct an inquiry, how long they take with that inquiry or when they make a decision.
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