❓ Opposition questions the Health Minister's ability to make effective budget cuts given an upcoming Auditor General report alleging lack of control and accountability. The Minister defends the cuts by citing examples of inefficiency and lack of financial discipline, promising a reprioritization of health spending.
AnsweredQoN 1227Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
The minister is now facing another damning Auditor General report that highlights his inability to account for the expenditure within the state’s public health sector. (1) How can the minister possibly make effective cuts to the health budget when the Auditor General is clearly stating that the minister responsible for the public health sector has no control over the effectiveness or accountability of his health program? Mr J.N. Hyde: The report has not been tabled. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(1) How can the minister possibly make effective cuts to the health budget when the Auditor General is clearly stating that the minister responsible for the public health sector has no control over the effectiveness or accountability of his health program? Mr J.N. Hyde: The report has not been tabled. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.N. Hyde: The report has not been tabled. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(1) How can the minister possibly make effective cuts to the health budget when the Auditor General is clearly stating that the minister responsible for the public health sector has no control over the effectiveness or accountability of his health program? Mr J.N. Hyde: The report has not been tabled. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.N. Hyde: The report has not been tabled. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: It will be in two weeks. Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.N. Hyde: How can you talk about it without it being tabled? The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: Order, member for Perth. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: I have been reading The West Australian for the past two days. The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the National Party. Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. TRENORDEN: Continuing my question - (2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(2) Will the minister table his justification for targeting the cuts to the specific health programs that he has outlined? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
(1)-(2) I have been rather bemused to see The West Australian prominent reporting on the unreleased report of the Auditor General and quoting the Leader of the National Party at great length about its contents. I have not seen the report. I can only, as I always would, take the member’s word on the matter. I have not received the report. The Auditor General, to the best of my knowledge, has not sent me a copy of it. Therefore, I, unlike the member, am not in a position to comment on it at this time. When I see the report, I will read it and do my best to acquaint myself with it. The member has better contacts in the Office of the Auditor General than I do because I have not seen the report - the member obviously has seen it. The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The second point raised was how could I possibly make cuts within the organisation, when, according to the member, it is so unaccountable. Simply, the best example I can give was quoted in this morning’s edition of The West Australian . In November 2001, there were 8 367 non-clinical staff employed by the Department of Health. A redundancy program was put in place and 378 staff accepted a payment. That should have reduced the number of staff to just under 8 000. At September 2003, the figure was 8 788. If the Leader of the National Party wants to know how I can make cuts, that is a good example. I intend to get the staffing level to that at the time of the redundancies, which is what the staffing level, at best, should have been. There are such numerous examples of how financial discipline is vital in health. I subscribe to this view - Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.H.D. Day: It has not been there in the last three years. Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: It certainly was not there when the member for Darling Range was the responsible minister; that caused a significant number of the problems. I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
I strongly subscribe to the view that when the discipline of a budget sits over one’s head, and targets must be met in the discipline of that budget, rational decisions must be made based on efficiency and meeting objectives. Without that budget, there is not the discipline and decisions are made that are not rational and things are funded that should not be funded. I have said that I will go through every line in the budget - Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Will you do that? Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: Yes, me - I am where the bucks stop. I will go through every line to ensure to the best of my ability that money is spent in areas that really count in health and deliver value for money. The Government will reprioritise in health and deliver services that really count to the people of Western Australia, rather than, as the member is advocating, delaying and getting wrapped up in the lack of accountability in health - as the member says the Auditor General will report on - and do nothing. I will not do that. Members will see action, a reorientation of priorities and a significant improvement in health services to the people of Western Australia. That is what this Government is all about. The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
The SPEAKER: I made it quite plain that interjections were not to occur for the rest of this question time. I call to order the members for Warren-Blackwood and Darling Range.
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