HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:00): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations, representing the Minister for Health, questions with regard to the Health and Community Services Advisory Council.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY: The Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004 provides for the establishment of the Health and Community Services Advisory Council. The function of the council is to advise the minister and the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner on the operation of the act on how to educate the general public on how to make a complaint in relation to health or community service and any issues arising from the resolution of such a complaint.

The council is to comprise a presiding member, two members representing users of health services, two members representing users of community services, two members representing health and community service providers, two members of a registration authority who represent the interests of the public, one member representing carers and one member with expertise in quality and safety standards of health services.

I understand Ms Jennifer Hall, the South Australian and Western Australian manager of a mental health service provider, has been appointed as a person representing users of health services. I further understand that Ms Athena Karanastasis, a program manager for a community service provider, has been appointed as a person representing users of community services.

The 2010-11 annual report of the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner shows that an amount of $30,500 was allocated to the advisory council. I understand that the council has met four times. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister provide details of how members of the advisory council were chosen?

2. Have the last two positions on the advisory council been filled? If so, can the minister provide details on who has been appointed? If not, can the minister advise when the vacancies will be filled?

3. Does the minister think there may be a conflict of interest appointing a community service provider and a health service provider to represent the interests of users of community services and health services?

4. Can the minister provide a breakdown of how much each of the advisory council members received for the 2010-11 financial year?

5. Can the minister provide details on what matters the council has provided advice to the minister?

6. Although not required under the act, given the amount of public moneys allocated to the advisory council, can the minister advise whether the advisory council's considerations and/or recommendations are made public by way of a report other than the council's one page contribution to the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner's annual report?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:03): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. I will refer that to the Minister for Health in another place and get an answer back as soon as possible.