Page 3146 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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Mr Wood: No, the Schools Authority account.
MR HUMPHRIES: The Schools Authority. Mr Speaker, I can indicate very broadly that - as I have indicated already in public comments before the budget came down - the Government would be looking to save money not only through its schools reshaping program but also through changes in the administrative arrangements that flow from the new ministry arrangements in the Government. I am confident, as I have said, in fact, of matching or exceeding the savings which are made through the schools reshaping program through the changes that occur in the administrative structure of the new Ministry for Health, Education and the Arts.
Of the positions Mr Wood refers to, approximately 20 or so, on my recollection, are accounted for by the schools reshaping program - loss of positions such as principal, janitor, bursar and so on in schools that are closing - and most of the others are accounted for by a reduction in the number of administrative staff which is possible as a result of the new ministry arrangements. For example, particular areas of duplication between the departments of health and education can now be eliminated and those sorts of savings in manpower can be translated into the savings that Mr Wood has referred to.
Hospitals Restructuring
MS FOLLETT: My question, again, is to Mr Kaine as Treasurer. Mr Kaine, you are seeking $10m from the trust account for hospitals. How much of this amount is for redundancy payments and how many jobs will be affected?
MR KAINE: I am going to be seeking to have more than $10m released from the trust fund. I think the figure is, from memory, $18.6m. That is intended to cover a number of things associated with the restructuring of the hospitals. There is an amount, some part of that, that is provision for redundancies, and I cannot recall just what that amount is. I cannot answer the question as to how many people because, until the process of change in the hospitals is complete, I cannot even begin to guess how many people might seek to voluntarily retire under those arrangements.
All I can say is that the Government deems it prudent to make a provision in the event that some employees in the hospital system may seek to take voluntary retirement, and if they do the money has to be there to provide for it. I am happy to take that part of the question on notice, and to find out just what the estimates are - how many people are expected at this stage to seek to take advantage of voluntary retirement and how much of that $18.6m would be used for that purpose in the event that the Prime Minister agrees to release it.
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