Page 3803 - Week 14 - Thursday, 10 December 1992
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Hospitals - Shift Systems
MR KAINE: I would like to direct a question to the Minister for Health. I would like to take him back to a little earlier this year, after the closure of the Royal Canberra Hospital, when there was a dispute about the shift systems in operation in the ACT hospitals. I remind the Minister that he agreed at that time to a six-week status quo period - those are his words - while a review was undertaken and long-term arrangements were negotiated with the trade unions about the shift arrangements. Why did it take the Minister five months to follow up on that so-called six-week status quo period to find out whether the matter had been adjusted or not? Is this typical of the attention that he gives to the management of his portfolio?
MR BERRY: Indeed, this is typical of the management - - -
Ms Follett: Good management.
MR BERRY: The good management that goes into the portfolio. Some interim arrangements were reached because an industrial dispute occurred when the Royal Canberra Hospital was about to close. That industrial dispute was sensibly managed in consultation with the union involved, the Australian Nursing Federation. Some interim rosters were agreed to. After some discussions with the union an agreement was reached whereby a review of those interim rosters would be carried out. We recently hired a consultant to look at all of the rostering arrangements and I expect some advice from that consultant on those rosters in due course. We will be continuing our discussions with the unions to ensure that the best result is achieved, not only for the unions and their members but also for the health system as a whole and the community of the ACT. Most of all, Madam Speaker, it comes back to sensible management of industrial relations, which has been the hallmark of this Government.
MR KAINE: I have a supplementary question. I take it from the Minister's answer that nine months after the six-week status quo period it still has not been totally resolved.
MR BERRY: No, no, no. You have it all wrong. This is an issue of some interim - - -
Mr Kaine: Do you understand my question, Minister?
MR BERRY: There were interim rosters agreed to, and a review was to be conducted after the interim rosters. The review is being carried out. We have hired a consultant to give us some further advice in relation to that matter. That advice will be with me shortly and we will again negotiate with the unions about the future for the rosters at the hospital. There is nothing unusual in that. That is a straightforward industrial relations negotiation matter and we are proceeding with it. I expect that there will be differences of opinion as we proceed down the track; but, again, as I have said, this is about sensible industrial relations based on consultation with the trade union movement, not confrontation.
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