Page 3200 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 November 1992
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Madam Speaker, it is a matter of public record - again Mr Berry has tabled the documents - that, if the health budget is adversely affected by matters which are beyond management's control, then, of course, the Government considers, in the normal process of ongoing budgetary review, what kind of supplementation might be required, if any. The matters which are generally beyond management's control include things like a further decline in the proportion of private patients as against public patients, obviously the salaries issues that Mr Berry has alluded to, and so on. If those matters occur through the year, then clearly Health and Treasury will negotiate on the question of supplementation. As I say, I have not been approached. I am not aware that Treasury officers have been approached at this point, but I am quite sure that there would be continuing discussions going on between those two bodies.
MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. The issue has been raised and Mr Berry has tabled the business rules for Health before. I think it follows the same sort of question. Why is it necessary to have separate business rules for Health when the same sorts of things do not exist for any other department? They are quite different for all the other departments.
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I do not know that we have another department that engages in the same business as the Department of Health. Clearly, the TAFE system has a funding agreement. Other areas such as ACTION have funding agreements. All have particular sets of parameters about their funding which reflect their particular kind of business. Health, of course, has its own business rules - what have been referred to as the business rules. They are currently being renegotiated, I believe, and they do reflect the particular circumstances in Health. I do not know, Madam Speaker, that anyone would seriously expect the TAFE system or the ACTION system to suddenly start curing the sick. It is a different business. Madam Speaker, I do not know whether members want me to go into the kinds of reasons for supplementation that might be required in Health. The rules have been tabled and I think it probably is better if we get on with some other questions.
Health Budget
MADAM SPEAKER: I call Mr Humphries.
Mr Stevenson: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I believe that the standing orders indicate that the person first on their feet gets the nod from the Chair.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Stevenson, for raising that point of order. Mr Humphries has the floor.
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is to the Minister for Health. The Minister referred, just a moment ago, to the business rules allowing for wage and salary supplementation to take place. I refer to rule 3, which says that supplementation is to be provided for adjustments to salaries and wages awarded by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. During the last financial year wage and salary supplementation was provided to cover the changing costs of visiting medical officers, which are not subject to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. They are not covered by that.
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