Page 858 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 16 March 2010
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exposure draft of the national bill. However, it was ultimately taken out in the final version following the lengthy consultation that took place. The removal of the PIA appears to have been a failing of the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council, and it is disappointing.
I must say that the opposition has no particular problem with either the PIA model or the ACT bill in particular. That is not my objection to the bill that is being debated today. It is simply that it is not nationally consistent, and that was the original intent of this legislation. It remains a matter to clarify how this ACT legislation deviates from the nationally agreed and negotiated model. I believe that we risk this national model with this legislation.
If all of the Australian health ministers in the other states and territories agreed to either the PIA model or to enacting legislation similar to the ACT bill that we are debating today, I believe that this would be a positive outcome and, of course, I would be supportive of that. However, the fact remains that the PIA model, for better or worse, was not adopted by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council.
I understand that the Greens will be proposing amendments which basically further compound the mistake that has been made by the government and which the Canberra Liberals are seeking to address. We obviously will not be supporting their amendment or amendments. I actually question how much consultation the Greens, or in fact the government, undertook with the boards and whether the Greens have actually developed an understanding of how the national boards will operate.
Ms Bresnan: Yes, we did. We got the same letters as you.
Ms Gallagher: They just have not accepted one position like you have.
Ms Bresnan: Did you talk to the health complaints commissioner?
MR HANSON: Yes, she had a meeting with me, actually.
Ms Gallagher: And you ignored everything she said?
Ms Bresnan: So you ignored her?
MR HANSON: No, there is a difference between ignoring and taking a balanced view to make sure that we adhere to the intent of the bill which is a nationally consistent model.
Ms Gallagher: A balanced view. Is that what you do? A balanced view, ignoring everything she says?
MR HANSON: Indeed, in all that I do, Ms Gallagher.
Ms Gallagher: I love that balanced view.
MR HANSON: Well, there you go. I also met with the Health Services Commissioner and heard about the issues she had with the bill. Ultimately, however,
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