Ministerial Statement Response to Public Accounts Committee Report No.28 on the Provision of Health Services to Aboriginal People in the Northern Territory
Tabled Paper 3097
Tabled Papers for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; Tabled papers; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
1997-02-26
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/289885
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/403373
SOME THINGS, THE STATES PAYS FOR OTHERS AND THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST MINDS SPEND THEIR TIME, NOT TRYING TO WORKOUT HOW WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC BUT TRYING TO WORK OUT HOW WE CAN SHIFT COSTS FROM ONE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO THE OTHER" THIS ADMISSION GOES A LONG WAY TO EXPLAINING HOW WE COME UP $41 MILLION SHORT PER ANNUM. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE SAW SOME OF THE TERRITORY'S "BEST AND BRIGHTEST MINDS" AND I AM SURE THAT MEMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THEIR DEVOTION TO THE TASK OF BETTERING SERVICES RATHER THAN COST SHIFTING. IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE WE'VE BEEN PLAYING THE BALL IN A GAME WHERE EVERYONE ELSE IS PLAYING THE MAN. WITH REGARD TO MY SECOND FAVOURITE SUBJECT, THE MINISTER SAID: "IN THE END, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE WE'RE HERE FOR IS THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC. WE'RE NOT HERE FOR HOSPITALS, WE'RE NOT HERE FOR DOCTORS. WE'RE HERE TO TRY AND PROVIDE BETTER HEALTH FOR THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC. "WE'VE GOT A SYSTEM AT THE MOMENT THAT'S FOCUSSED ON HOSPITALS, IT'S FOCUSSED ON DOCTORS, AND IT'S NOT FOCUSSED ON THE PERSON WHO IS RECEIVING THE CARE. IF WE ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THA T, AND SA Y, WHA T DOES HE OR SHE NEED, THEN WE COULD HA VE A BETTER SYSTEM." EVIDENCE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BY MR RICHARD RYE, WHO AT THE TIME WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMONWEALTH GRANTS COMMISSION, MAKES ASTOUNDING READING. MR RYE REVEALED, AND I QUOTE: "WE HAD IN OUR OWN CALCULATIONS - THE ONES THAT WERE NOT MODIFIED BY THE MEDICARE AGREEMENTS - A THING CALLED AN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR, WHICH TOOK ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STATES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE PRIVATE HEALTH SERVICES WOULD NOT BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE. THE NORTHERN TERRITORY WOULD OBVIOUSLY BENEFIT CONSIDERABLY BY THE USE OF SUCH A FACTOR, BUT WE WERE INSTRUCTED NOT TO INCLUDE THAT FACTOR.." OUR WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO REVOLVE AROUND TACKLING THESE LARGER, MORE RADICAL AGENDA ITEMS. MR SPEAKER, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR BY NOW THAT THE NORTHERN TERRITORY GOVERNMENT IS IN TOTAL ACCORD WITH THE BROAD THRUST OF THIS REPORT. ITS REASONING IS SOUND, ITS COVERAGE