❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding concerns of mass resignations of salaried doctors due to lack of confidence in the Minister for Health, referencing an AMA advertisement. The Premier acknowledges disagreement but frames it within a federal election context.
AnsweredQoN 439Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS, DOCTORS’ WAGES AND CONDITIONS 439. Mr BARNETT to the Premier: I refer to the full-page advertisement by the Australian Medical Association in The West Australian today headed “Lies Lies Lies - Don’t trust Labor with your health.” Is the Premier aware that salaried doctors in the public health system are now considering mass resignations as a result of a complete lack of confidence in the Premier’s Minister for Health? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
HOSPITALS, DOCTORS’ WAGES AND CONDITIONS
I refer to the full-page advertisement by the Australian Medical Association in The West Australian today headed “Lies Lies Lies - Don’t trust Labor with your health.” Is the Premier aware that salaried doctors in the public health system are now considering mass resignations as a result of a complete lack of confidence in the Premier’s Minister for Health? Dr GALLOP replied: The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Dr GALLOP replied: The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
HOSPITALS, DOCTORS’ WAGES AND CONDITIONS
I refer to the full-page advertisement by the Australian Medical Association in The West Australian today headed “Lies Lies Lies - Don’t trust Labor with your health.” Is the Premier aware that salaried doctors in the public health system are now considering mass resignations as a result of a complete lack of confidence in the Premier’s Minister for Health? Dr GALLOP replied: The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Dr GALLOP replied: The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
The people of Western Australia understand two things. The first is that there is a disagreement between the Government of Western Australia and the AMA over the wages and conditions of doctors in our public hospital system. When there are disagreements over matters like that, of course some heat is generated in the discussion. The second thing that the people of Western Australia understand is that a federal election campaign is being run. In the context of a federal election campaign, when there are disagreements in the industrial sphere, people obviously want to maximise their position to try to have a victory. It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
It is interesting to look at our health system. When the Labor Party came to government, there were differences between the Government of Western Australia and the nurses. Step by step, point by point, we overcame those differences, and we have a settlement with the nurses. There were also differences with those workers employed in hospitals who are members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association. Step by step, point by point, it appears that we have now resolved those differences. That is exactly what we want to do with the doctors. However, if we are to solve the problems in the health system in Western Australia, there must be a resolution of the relationship between the doctors and the Government that puts patients first. All the people of Western Australia understand the heat generated by an election campaign. They also understand that the AMA is a trade union and that it will try to use all the tactics in the book to try to influence the Government of Western Australia to do what is not in the public interest. Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Mr Barron-Sullivan: Is that what unions do? Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Dr GALLOP: They do. When they do that, strong government is needed. That is what Western Australia has. The people of Western Australia want a Government committed to patients first, and to strength in the face of unreasonable demands.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.