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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 8 Hansard (9 August) . . Page.. 2676 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Nonetheless, in taking advantage of Commonwealth grants, people in the ACT who are genuinely in need deserve to be able to use the concessions. Perhaps our concessions exclude too many people who are genuinely in need. Mr Speaker, I will examine the matters Mr Osborne raises and see if we can address his concerns.

Consumer credit assistance

MR RUGENDYKE: My question is to the fair trading minister, Mr Stefaniak. Minister, ACTCOSS has provided members with correspondence relating to evidence presented to the most recent Estimates Committee about consumer credit assistance referrals to ACT Legal Aid and the Office of Fair Trading. There certainly appears to be an inconsistency between the volume of referrals reported to the Estimates Committee in comparison to the information supplied to you by ACTCOSS. Are you aware of these discrepancies?

MR STEFANIAK: Not off the top of my head, Mr Rugendyke. I will check into that and see what ACTCOSS says and what the office says. I have a feeling that I may have answered that, but let me check into that. I seem to recall I might have had something about it four or five weeks ago. Let me check into that.

MR RUGENDYKE: Thank you, minister. My supplementary question is more or less what you said. Could you investigate these issues and report back to the Assembly with any revised details or discrepancies?

MR STEFANIAK: Certainly, Mr Rugendyke. If I have responded, and I think I may have, I will send you any details.

Visiting medical officer

MR WOOD: My question is to the minister for health. Minister, could you tell the Assembly whether a review of the case that led to the dismissal of Dr Les Yeaman, a visiting medical officer to Canberra Hospital, has been completed, if indeed held? I believe it has been held, but has it been completed? Can you confirm that the review in fact cleared Dr Yeaman of any wrongdoing and that a compensation claim is now being negotiated?

MR MOORE: If a compensation claim is being negotiated, it may well be a matter before the courts. I remember the case. Dr Yeaman is a urologist who, on the surface, it appears acted inappropriately in taking a patient from another urologist and removing part or all of his penis in circumstances that I would consider entirely inappropriate.

My understanding is that there was a review and that Dr Yeaman has moved out of Canberra. I have not followed the matter particularly closely since. But since you have asked the question, Mr Wood, I shall take it on notice and get back to you.

MR WOOD: I ask a supplementary question. Could you add something to that, Mr Moore. As I recall, you made a statement in the Assembly about the issue. I would expect your interest to continue. My further question is: if he is in Canberra, has he been offered his job back?

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