Health Consumers Alliance

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:32): Will the local health networks make up the funding that you have cut from this association?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:32): Isn't this great? Ten years ago, the Labor Party decided they would abolish boards and centralise power, and the reason why they did that is clearly because they don't understand devolution.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The Hon. Russell Wortley wants me to devolve power to the networks and then tell them how to spend their money. Is that devolution? They just don’t get it. They are centralised to their core, and I believe that leads to a lack of an independent voice. I believe that the consumer voice will be stronger through these changes, not weaker.