Page 2011 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 June 2018
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MS LAWDER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Minister—
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Wall! Mr Hanson can be quiet. Indeed, the benches on my left can be quiet. Ms Lawder, you have the floor.
MS LAWDER: Minister, will you table any documents relating to the meetings between Ms Fitzharris and yourself to discuss the restructure by the close of this sitting period?
MR RATTENBURY: The Liberal Party have conducted a freedom of information application under our new and improved freedom of information laws. They have received all the documents that are available to them.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, why is it that no staff in mental health were consulted before the decision to restructure the directorate was made?
MR RATTENBURY: This is exactly the point I was about to go to when Ms Lawder came in. There are two possible ways to go about this. The minister and I discussed this and we have taken—
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: You asked a question of the minister. He is providing an answer. Have regard and respect, and just listen.
Mrs Dunne: I’m waiting to see whether it’s relevant yet.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne!
MR RATTENBURY: The approach that has been taken here is that the broad decision has been taken, and now there is a significant period of time for discussion to go on with staff to plan the specific details relevant to ACT Health. The minister and I, with the Chief Minister’s endorsement, have taken a decision to make this the future direction for the structure of ACT Health, and now the staff will be involved in extensive discussions.
We could have taken another approach where we did all of this work in the background, and the Liberal Party would have been in here outraged, confecting their outrage, about the fact that we have not made a public announcement about it. They would have said, ‘You’re doing this in secret. You’re not telling anybody. What are you actually doing here?”
We have been very up-front from the get-go about the direction we are going in, and there is now an extensive process, working with staff, to ensure that the details are sorted through.
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