Mr. Board questions the Minister for Health on the deteriorating health system in WA, citing industrial action and service disruptions. Mr. Kucera defends the government's actions, referencing a health plan and improved funding for nurses.

AnsweredQoN 264Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 August 2001
Member
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

Western Australia has a deteriorating health system.  Members of the Hospital Salaried Officers Association are on strike, ambulance drivers are being directed to bypass hospitals and surgery is being cancelled throughout the State.  When will the minister act to give some direction to the failing health system in this State? Mr KUCERA

AnswerView source ↗

In case the member has not noticed, this Government has been acting from the day it came to power. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  I refer the member to the Department of Health web site, which contains a perfectly good plan.  If the member wishes, I will table the plan, which is titled the “Health Administrative Review Committee Report”.  It is a well-written and structured report. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
Mr KUCERA replied: In case the member has not noticed, this Government has been acting from the day it came to power. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  I refer the member to the Department of Health web site, which contains a perfectly good plan.  If the member wishes, I will table the plan, which is titled the “Health Administrative Review Committee Report”.  It is a well-written and structured report. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
In case the member has not noticed, this Government has been acting from the day it came to power. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  I refer the member to the Department of Health web site, which contains a perfectly good plan.  If the member wishes, I will table the plan, which is titled the “Health Administrative Review Committee Report”.  It is a well-written and structured report. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  I refer the member to the Department of Health web site, which contains a perfectly good plan.  If the member wishes, I will table the plan, which is titled the “Health Administrative Review Committee Report”.  It is a well-written and structured report. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
Mr KUCERA:  I refer the member to the Department of Health web site, which contains a perfectly good plan.  If the member wishes, I will table the plan, which is titled the “Health Administrative Review Committee Report”.  It is a well-written and structured report. Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
Several members interjected. Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
Mr KUCERA:  The member asked when this Government will produce a plan.  If he were to take the time and trouble, he could read it on the web site.  He would note that it was written by six eminent Western Australians - not a bunch of imported consultants.  It is a sensible plan that will move us forward. This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.
This Government has settled the dispute that the previous Government had with our wonderful nurses.  The measly $104 million it allocated for the nurses was topped up to $300 million to give the nurses what they justly deserve.  This Government is in robust negotiations with the HSOA, and those negotiations will continue until we reach a settlement.  We followed the proper process for the doctors’ industrial relations procedure.  We do not go behind the backs of our ministerial colleagues in Cabinet and do deals; we deal properly with our health system.

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