Mr BAILEY - 1999-02-17
It has been estimated that the cost of transferring public employees from our public hospitals into a private employment system under your privatisation agenda would cost in the order of $80m. Will the minister confirm or correct the accuracy of this figure?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, first of all we should make it very clear to the member for Wanguri that if he had listened to what was said in the House he would realise that the government has made it very clear that at the moment they are studying, in detail, options regarding health services for Territorians.
It has been made very clear that no decision has been made regarding any transfers of any services. It has also been made very clear that we need to make changes to our health system. To have members of the opposition continuing to ignore the facts, as presented by the Chief Minister ...
Mr BAILEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker. The question was quite clear. It refers to whether or not, in the privatisation information that has been provided so far, any reference or account has been taken of the estimated $80m of transferring employee entitlements such as superannuation, leave entitlements etc, as part of the privatisation process.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order but, again, I ask the minister to be fairly succinct in his answer.
Mr MANZIE: I am trying to put the answer in the context of reality, not in the dream world that the opposition member is trying to present to our community, by implying that this is a fate accompli to date. Obviously all costs – A-L-L - relating to the exercise ...
Mr Bailey: It is not mentioned anywhere.
Mr MANZIE: Look, if you want to answer your own question, stand up and answer it. Ask yourself, and don’t waste our time.
Mr Bailey: Well, tell the truth, Daryl.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would ask for a withdrawal, Mr Speaker. That was an inference that I have been telling lies.
Mr SPEAKER: It would always be preferable that people don’t make those sorts of comments, but unfortunately they are made in this House quite often. It wasn’t a direct insinuation of a lie, but I would ask the member to refrain from saying those sorts of things.
Mr MANZIE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I was pointing out before I was rudely interrupted by the member for Wanguri, the government as part of its assessment process, will be taking into account all costs in relation to this exercise, because at the end of the day we are aiming to provide the best service possible for as many Territorians as possible, at the best and least cost for Territory taxpayers. In carrying out that exercise all costs have to be taken into account. Any attempts by the member for Wanguri to try and scaremonger the situation amongst Territory Health employees should be taken for what it is, and that is an attempt to try and derail a process of providing better health services for Territorians.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, first of all we should make it very clear to the member for Wanguri that if he had listened to what was said in the House he would realise that the government has made it very clear that at the moment they are studying, in detail, options regarding health services for Territorians.
It has been made very clear that no decision has been made regarding any transfers of any services. It has also been made very clear that we need to make changes to our health system. To have members of the opposition continuing to ignore the facts, as presented by the Chief Minister ...
Mr BAILEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker. The question was quite clear. It refers to whether or not, in the privatisation information that has been provided so far, any reference or account has been taken of the estimated $80m of transferring employee entitlements such as superannuation, leave entitlements etc, as part of the privatisation process.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no point of order but, again, I ask the minister to be fairly succinct in his answer.
Mr MANZIE: I am trying to put the answer in the context of reality, not in the dream world that the opposition member is trying to present to our community, by implying that this is a fate accompli to date. Obviously all costs – A-L-L - relating to the exercise ...
Mr Bailey: It is not mentioned anywhere.
Mr MANZIE: Look, if you want to answer your own question, stand up and answer it. Ask yourself, and don’t waste our time.
Mr Bailey: Well, tell the truth, Daryl.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MANZIE: I would ask for a withdrawal, Mr Speaker. That was an inference that I have been telling lies.
Mr SPEAKER: It would always be preferable that people don’t make those sorts of comments, but unfortunately they are made in this House quite often. It wasn’t a direct insinuation of a lie, but I would ask the member to refrain from saying those sorts of things.
Mr MANZIE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I was pointing out before I was rudely interrupted by the member for Wanguri, the government as part of its assessment process, will be taking into account all costs in relation to this exercise, because at the end of the day we are aiming to provide the best service possible for as many Territorians as possible, at the best and least cost for Territory taxpayers. In carrying out that exercise all costs have to be taken into account. Any attempts by the member for Wanguri to try and scaremonger the situation amongst Territory Health employees should be taken for what it is, and that is an attempt to try and derail a process of providing better health services for Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016