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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-07-03 Daily Xml
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INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Health. Who will now run the child protection unit, which provides for forensic assessment of suspected child abuse victims? After three years of vacancies in this unit and advertising both nationally and internationally, at a meeting at about 12 o'clock today the resignations of the two remaining forensic paediatricians in this state became effective, and there are now no forensic assessment paediatricians in this unit to undertake these duties.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:40): Of course, the Children, Youth and Women's Health Service will continue to run the service. The resignations, as I understand it, have yet to take effect, and I am hopeful that they will not be finalised. I met with the two forensic paediatricians earlier today and assured them that the government valued the work they do. I recognise the difficult circumstances in which they do it. I assured them that the offer we had made of 76 per cent was a genuine offer to better pay them for the services they provide and that, if they believe they should receive more, the industrial relations process is the way to proceed.

I explained to them that, under the EB arrangements the government was negotiating, there would be a mechanism by which additional over-award payments could be argued for, and that would take into account issues such as retention and attraction. We had a very pleasant meeting, and the meeting concluded.

Medical services to children will not be compromised in any way whatsoever as a result of any potential resignations in this area. They provide a range of services, and all the services that are medical in nature will continue to be provided. They also provide a forensic service, which of course is an important service, but it is not in itself a medical service. So, any child who requires services will continue to receive medical services from that source. It would only be the Deputy Leader of the Opposition who was gleeful about this issue, and I think it is a great regret that that is the case.

Mr WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that it is out of order to impute improper motive, and I think that is what the minister is doing.

The SPEAKER: Sorry, I missed what was said by the minister that the member for MacKillop said was imputing improper motive. I did not hear anything.

Mr WILLIAMS: The minister implied that the deputy leader asked the question gleefully.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not the meaning of imputing improper motive. The minister would have to be accusing the member of having—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Is the member for MacKillop interested in my ruling or not? No. I will just rule that no improper motive is being imputed.

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