HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION NATIONAL LAW (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) (PROTECTION OF TITLE—PARAMEDICS) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 31 October 2013.)

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:51): This is now a relatively simple bill as a result of a change of position from the government on a key aspect of the legislation. In relation to this legislation, currently paramedic practice is not regulated in Australia, despite calls for the profession to be included as part of the national registration accreditation scheme for health professionals. The bill takes a step towards the regulation of paramedic practice in South Australia by protecting the title of paramedic. Under the current arrangements, any person can call themselves a paramedic and undertake duties and responsibilities generally associated with paramedic practice, regardless of whether they hold the necessary education and training to provide the level of care expected.

The Liberal Party has been supportive of the legislation, but we were surprised—and it is another example—at the government's lack of consultation with key stakeholders which meant that on a fundamental issue when the legislation was introduced into the parliament, which was the definition of paramedic, it looked like there might have to be amendments moved in the Legislative Council to try to force the government to change its position. Whilst the intention of the bill was supported by the Ambulance Employees Association, and Paramedics Australasia, which is the national professional association of paramedics, they had major concerns with the government's wording in the legislation, and they believe that there may have been unforeseen consequences if the government proceeded with the bill as it seemed intent on doing.

They advise me that they have been raising these issues for some time with the government. They wanted the wording to reflect the official definition that was endorsed by Paramedics Australasia, which is published on their website and has been evident for quite some time. There was evidently opposition from the government and government departments and agencies to that particular position. The bill was introduced without taking on board the views of the AEA and Paramedics Australasia.

I am pleased to say that, after those organisations raised those concerns with non-government members in the parliament and then raised them again with the government, the government had a change of heart and has moved an amendment to resolve the issues. There is peace and harmony on all fronts, at least in relation to the definition of paramedics used in the legislation. As a result of the government's late change of heart and that amendment, the Liberal Party supports the passage of the legislation.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (16:55): I thank the opposition for their indication of support for this bill. The legislation is about protecting the public of South Australia by ensuring that persons employed as paramedics hold the necessary qualifications and training to make the very complex and critical clinical judgements that they do. In some ways, this legislation is catching up with the community expectations.

I note that, when Channel 10 ran its news story on the introduction of this legislation, it came as a bit of surprise to some members of the public that not all persons who may describe themselves as a paramedic were necessarily qualified or trained to do so. The government is confident that the current employers of paramedics in this state have an appropriate governance arrangement in place to ensure that persons they employ hold the appropriate qualifications and training.

The government is concerned about the significant growth in the casual or intermediate employment of paramedics amongst a range of industries outside of the health sector, and there is no assurance that these employers apply the same standards in the development of clinical protocols and guidelines to govern their paramedic employees. It is the growth of this sector that highlights the need to ensure that the safety of the public is protected from the labelling of an unqualified person as a paramedic, and I welcome honourable members' support for this most important bill.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

Bill taken through committee without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (16:59): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.