❓ Ms McHale questions the Minister for Health regarding restrictions placed on Ernst & Young's investigation into trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. The Minister expresses confidence in the audit process and states the Anti-Corruption Commission is aware of the matter.
AnsweredQoN 302Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the minister explain why the chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Health Service Board restricted the scope of Ernst and Young’s investigation? I quote from the diary notes of Ernst and Young - A restriction placed on the conducting of the assignment was that Ernst & Young were not to divulge the nature or objective of the investigation to any staff other than those already privy to the work being done. (2) The diary notes further state - . . . third party verification of data through the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) should only be obtained after his express request and as a last resort. Why did Mr Weeks also restrict the scope and effectiveness of the inquiry by imposing that condition? (3) Will the minister inform the House whether the appropriate material has now been forwarded to the Health Insurance Commission? Mr DAY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I find the line of questioning the Opposition has taken over the past couple of days amazing. Yesterday, I was effectively asked whether I would ensure that taxation advice was made available to doctors who require it. I suggest to the Opposition that if a doctor needs taxation advice, he should visit his accountant like everybody else. Today’s question implies that not enough is being done about the audits of trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I have not seen the diary notes to which the member referred, but I have confidence in the audit process that is under way. I assume Ernst and Young was given some indication that the information should not be made available to people who have no need to see it so that, among other things, the interests of people against whom defamatory statements might be made are protected, especially in case these assertions are not substantiated. It is a matter of properly following the process. The Commissioner of Health initially made contact with the Health Insurance Commission some weeks ago. It has since written to him, and it has been made clear that any information the HIC requires will be provided. However, it is also satisfied that all the right processes are being followed. As I have previously said in this Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Commission has also been made aware of the matter.
Mr DAY replied: (1)-(3) I find the line of questioning the Opposition has taken over the past couple of days amazing. Yesterday, I was effectively asked whether I would ensure that taxation advice was made available to doctors who require it. I suggest to the Opposition that if a doctor needs taxation advice, he should visit his accountant like everybody else. Today’s question implies that not enough is being done about the audits of trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I have not seen the diary notes to which the member referred, but I have confidence in the audit process that is under way. I assume Ernst and Young was given some indication that the information should not be made available to people who have no need to see it so that, among other things, the interests of people against whom defamatory statements might be made are protected, especially in case these assertions are not substantiated. It is a matter of properly following the process. The Commissioner of Health initially made contact with the Health Insurance Commission some weeks ago. It has since written to him, and it has been made clear that any information the HIC requires will be provided. However, it is also satisfied that all the right processes are being followed. As I have previously said in this Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Commission has also been made aware of the matter.
(1)-(3) I find the line of questioning the Opposition has taken over the past couple of days amazing. Yesterday, I was effectively asked whether I would ensure that taxation advice was made available to doctors who require it. I suggest to the Opposition that if a doctor needs taxation advice, he should visit his accountant like everybody else. Today’s question implies that not enough is being done about the audits of trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I have not seen the diary notes to which the member referred, but I have confidence in the audit process that is under way. I assume Ernst and Young was given some indication that the information should not be made available to people who have no need to see it so that, among other things, the interests of people against whom defamatory statements might be made are protected, especially in case these assertions are not substantiated. It is a matter of properly following the process. The Commissioner of Health initially made contact with the Health Insurance Commission some weeks ago. It has since written to him, and it has been made clear that any information the HIC requires will be provided. However, it is also satisfied that all the right processes are being followed. As I have previously said in this Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Commission has also been made aware of the matter.
Mr DAY replied: (1)-(3) I find the line of questioning the Opposition has taken over the past couple of days amazing. Yesterday, I was effectively asked whether I would ensure that taxation advice was made available to doctors who require it. I suggest to the Opposition that if a doctor needs taxation advice, he should visit his accountant like everybody else. Today’s question implies that not enough is being done about the audits of trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I have not seen the diary notes to which the member referred, but I have confidence in the audit process that is under way. I assume Ernst and Young was given some indication that the information should not be made available to people who have no need to see it so that, among other things, the interests of people against whom defamatory statements might be made are protected, especially in case these assertions are not substantiated. It is a matter of properly following the process. The Commissioner of Health initially made contact with the Health Insurance Commission some weeks ago. It has since written to him, and it has been made clear that any information the HIC requires will be provided. However, it is also satisfied that all the right processes are being followed. As I have previously said in this Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Commission has also been made aware of the matter.
(1)-(3) I find the line of questioning the Opposition has taken over the past couple of days amazing. Yesterday, I was effectively asked whether I would ensure that taxation advice was made available to doctors who require it. I suggest to the Opposition that if a doctor needs taxation advice, he should visit his accountant like everybody else. Today’s question implies that not enough is being done about the audits of trust accounts at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. I have not seen the diary notes to which the member referred, but I have confidence in the audit process that is under way. I assume Ernst and Young was given some indication that the information should not be made available to people who have no need to see it so that, among other things, the interests of people against whom defamatory statements might be made are protected, especially in case these assertions are not substantiated. It is a matter of properly following the process. The Commissioner of Health initially made contact with the Health Insurance Commission some weeks ago. It has since written to him, and it has been made clear that any information the HIC requires will be provided. However, it is also satisfied that all the right processes are being followed. As I have previously said in this Chamber, the Anti-Corruption Commission has also been made aware of the matter.
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