Mr BELL - 1996-05-21
The chief executive officer of the minister's department has taken the extraordinary step of temporarily demoting herself in order to take personal control of the department's Top End services. It is understood that her peculiar actions are the direct result of a budget blow-out in the Operations North budget. Is this budget blow-out approximately $4m? Secondly, is it true that at least $3.2m of this blow-out can be traced to Royal Darwin Hospital? Thirdly, are cuts to be made to existing services as a result of this spectacular budget blow-out?
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker ...
Members interjecting.
Mr Bell: No wonder you blokes are ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for MacDonnell. The next time you will be named. The Minister for Health Services.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I name the member for MacDonnell.
Mrs HICKEY: Mr Speaker, I move dissent from your ruling.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no ruling.
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I have no option but to move that the member for MacDonnell be suspended from the service of the Assembly.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 16 Noes 8
Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
Mr Baldwin Mr Bailey
Mrs Braham Mr Bell
Mr Burke Mr Ede
Mr Coulter Mrs Hickey
Mr Finch Ms Martin
Mr Hatton Mr Rioli
Mr McCarthy Mr Stirling
Mr Manzie
Mr Mitchell
Mrs Padgham-Purich
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
Motion agreed to.
Mr SPEAKER: The Minister for Health Services.
Page 1392
Mr FINCH: It is with a great deal of pleasure, Mr Speaker, that I answer the question asked by the member for MacDonnell. I am sure that he will find some interest ...
Mr Bell: It is a shame that I will not be here.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: The member for MacDonnell can read my response in Hansard.
I had risen to my feet to answer the question and had not even opened my mouth. This demonstrates yet again that the member for Barkly, the new-found Leader of the Opposition in this parliament, is totally ineffectual when it comes to maintaining any control over her members. That is her problem, and it is a problem she will have to face.
To answer the question, there is absolutely no connection whatsoever between budgetary matters and the temporary relocation of the secretary of the department - and she is still the secretary - to look after the northern region. The northern region is the most significant area in terms of activity and expenditure by Territory Health Services. She has not relinquished her role. This is a matter that she herself ...
Mr Stirling: It has a secretary now?
Mr FINCH: The secretary's name is Katherine Henderson. She has, at the moment ...
Mr Bailey: She is moonlighting in a second job.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: Her normal deputy is dealing with many of the day-to-day routine matters. For all matters of policy or priority ...
Mrs Hickey: Why is she out there?
Mr FINCH: I will explain to you. I know you are as impetuous as the member for MacDonnell ...
Mr Stirling: You might explain Gove as well. I have seen your lie about that to the 400 people ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: We will come to the member for Nhulunbuy's problem.
Mr Stirling: I have seen your big public lie over that.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Nhulunbuy will be aware that I warned him a number of times last week and I was particularly
Page 1393
lenient. I do not intend to be lenient today. The member for Nhulunbuy will hold his tongue or he will find himself in a similar position to the member for MacDonnell.
Mr Bailey: This is what the party room had to say.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I also warn the member for Wanguri. He is on a very short leash. I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour. If members continue to talk over the Speaker and refuse to take note of calls for order, they will find themselves in a very similar position to the member who recently left the Chamber.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, I would really like to answer this question. The secretary of the department initiated this current, short-term action herself and for the following reasons. One is that the incumbent manager of the northern region was transferred indefinitely into a position in town. As a result, it is intended to call for new applicants for that position. That will take about 2 or 3 months and, rather than place another person there temporarily, it was thought to be fair and reasonable for the secretary not only to obtain hands-on experience in that area but, more pertinently, because it is a large area covering 3 hospitals ..
Mr Stirling interjecting
Mr FINCH: The face-to-face contact is already having some beneficial results.
The member for MacDonnell referred to a $3m budget blow-out ...
Mr Bailey: $4m.
Mr FINCH: Name your figure; it does not matter. If it were $3m or $4m, it would represent 1% of the overall Territory Health Services budget. However, at this stage of the game, it is a load of nonsense. We are still 2 months from the end of the financial year. By the time we reach the end of the financial year, I will not be at all surprised if we are within a tight margin above or below the budgeted figure. Because of the flow of moneys, there are times of the year when in fact it might be 5% ahead.
Mr Stirling: Tell us about the lies you told ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy will withdraw that remark. You will withdraw any inference that the minister has lied.
Mr STIRLING: I withdraw the reference to the minister's lies.
Mr SPEAKER: You will withdraw the remark unreservedly and sit down, please.
Mr STIRLING: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, as to why the secretary of the department is temporarily in another region ...
Page 1394
Mr Stirling: Tell us about Gove Hospital. Tell us about your commitment to consult with the people of Gove.
Mr FINCH: Members opposite ought to get out into the real world.
Mr Stirling: Tell us about your lies to 400 people.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Does the member for Nhulunbuy wish to leave the Chamber? Perhaps he should leave for a while, settle down and come back when he is feeling a little better.
Mr FINCH: I must see if we can get some pills for him. Mr Speaker, I have no intention of holding up Question Time but, if the honourable member ...
Mr Stirling: You promised consultation, and you have just lied and turned your back.
Mr FINCH: Pull your head in.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy is certainly asking to be named. If he wishes that, I will accommodate him. I will give him one more chance, and only one.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, I will answer the honourable member's question calmly when he asks it properly, either later today or tomorrow. He is beating himself into a lather, and that is unfortunate.
The question before me is easily answered. We will see, at the end of the financial year, whether there is any substance to the nonsense put forward by the member for MacDonnell. In the meantime, members opposite ought to take a lesson from the secretary of Territory Health Services and have a look at the real world for a change.
Page 1395
Page 1391
ANSWER
Mr Speaker ...
Members interjecting.
Mr Bell: No wonder you blokes are ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for MacDonnell. The next time you will be named. The Minister for Health Services.
Mr Bell interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I name the member for MacDonnell.
Mrs HICKEY: Mr Speaker, I move dissent from your ruling.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no ruling.
Mr COULTER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I have no option but to move that the member for MacDonnell be suspended from the service of the Assembly.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 16 Noes 8
Mr Adamson Mr Ah Kit
Mr Baldwin Mr Bailey
Mrs Braham Mr Bell
Mr Burke Mr Ede
Mr Coulter Mrs Hickey
Mr Finch Ms Martin
Mr Hatton Mr Rioli
Mr McCarthy Mr Stirling
Mr Manzie
Mr Mitchell
Mrs Padgham-Purich
Mr Palmer
Mr Poole
Mr Reed
Mr Setter
Mr Stone
Motion agreed to.
Mr SPEAKER: The Minister for Health Services.
Page 1392
Mr FINCH: It is with a great deal of pleasure, Mr Speaker, that I answer the question asked by the member for MacDonnell. I am sure that he will find some interest ...
Mr Bell: It is a shame that I will not be here.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: The member for MacDonnell can read my response in Hansard.
I had risen to my feet to answer the question and had not even opened my mouth. This demonstrates yet again that the member for Barkly, the new-found Leader of the Opposition in this parliament, is totally ineffectual when it comes to maintaining any control over her members. That is her problem, and it is a problem she will have to face.
To answer the question, there is absolutely no connection whatsoever between budgetary matters and the temporary relocation of the secretary of the department - and she is still the secretary - to look after the northern region. The northern region is the most significant area in terms of activity and expenditure by Territory Health Services. She has not relinquished her role. This is a matter that she herself ...
Mr Stirling: It has a secretary now?
Mr FINCH: The secretary's name is Katherine Henderson. She has, at the moment ...
Mr Bailey: She is moonlighting in a second job.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: Her normal deputy is dealing with many of the day-to-day routine matters. For all matters of policy or priority ...
Mrs Hickey: Why is she out there?
Mr FINCH: I will explain to you. I know you are as impetuous as the member for MacDonnell ...
Mr Stirling: You might explain Gove as well. I have seen your lie about that to the 400 people ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: We will come to the member for Nhulunbuy's problem.
Mr Stirling: I have seen your big public lie over that.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Nhulunbuy will be aware that I warned him a number of times last week and I was particularly
Page 1393
lenient. I do not intend to be lenient today. The member for Nhulunbuy will hold his tongue or he will find himself in a similar position to the member for MacDonnell.
Mr Bailey: This is what the party room had to say.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I also warn the member for Wanguri. He is on a very short leash. I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour. If members continue to talk over the Speaker and refuse to take note of calls for order, they will find themselves in a very similar position to the member who recently left the Chamber.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, I would really like to answer this question. The secretary of the department initiated this current, short-term action herself and for the following reasons. One is that the incumbent manager of the northern region was transferred indefinitely into a position in town. As a result, it is intended to call for new applicants for that position. That will take about 2 or 3 months and, rather than place another person there temporarily, it was thought to be fair and reasonable for the secretary not only to obtain hands-on experience in that area but, more pertinently, because it is a large area covering 3 hospitals ..
Mr Stirling interjecting
Mr FINCH: The face-to-face contact is already having some beneficial results.
The member for MacDonnell referred to a $3m budget blow-out ...
Mr Bailey: $4m.
Mr FINCH: Name your figure; it does not matter. If it were $3m or $4m, it would represent 1% of the overall Territory Health Services budget. However, at this stage of the game, it is a load of nonsense. We are still 2 months from the end of the financial year. By the time we reach the end of the financial year, I will not be at all surprised if we are within a tight margin above or below the budgeted figure. Because of the flow of moneys, there are times of the year when in fact it might be 5% ahead.
Mr Stirling: Tell us about the lies you told ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy will withdraw that remark. You will withdraw any inference that the minister has lied.
Mr STIRLING: I withdraw the reference to the minister's lies.
Mr SPEAKER: You will withdraw the remark unreservedly and sit down, please.
Mr STIRLING: Mr Speaker, I withdraw.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, as to why the secretary of the department is temporarily in another region ...
Page 1394
Mr Stirling: Tell us about Gove Hospital. Tell us about your commitment to consult with the people of Gove.
Mr FINCH: Members opposite ought to get out into the real world.
Mr Stirling: Tell us about your lies to 400 people.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Does the member for Nhulunbuy wish to leave the Chamber? Perhaps he should leave for a while, settle down and come back when he is feeling a little better.
Mr FINCH: I must see if we can get some pills for him. Mr Speaker, I have no intention of holding up Question Time but, if the honourable member ...
Mr Stirling: You promised consultation, and you have just lied and turned your back.
Mr FINCH: Pull your head in.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy is certainly asking to be named. If he wishes that, I will accommodate him. I will give him one more chance, and only one.
Mr FINCH: Mr Speaker, I will answer the honourable member's question calmly when he asks it properly, either later today or tomorrow. He is beating himself into a lather, and that is unfortunate.
The question before me is easily answered. We will see, at the end of the financial year, whether there is any substance to the nonsense put forward by the member for MacDonnell. In the meantime, members opposite ought to take a lesson from the secretary of Territory Health Services and have a look at the real world for a change.
Page 1395
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016