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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-17 Daily Xml
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SALARIED MEDICAL OFFICERS ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:20): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister update the house on the South Australian medical officers' enterprise agreement?

The SPEAKER: Is the minister sure this is not in readily available documents of the Industrial Relations Commission?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I am reasonably sure, sir. Because the matter is yet to go to ballot, it would not be publicly available.

The SPEAKER: That is different, yes. Away you go.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:20): After 32 months of negotiation, I am pleased to tell the house that the state government and South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA) have agreed on the terms of offer for the new enterprise agreement for South Australia's public sector salaried medical officers.

This is a positive result for South Australia's healthcare system and builds upon the recent employee agreement with nurses and midwives. The government and SASMOA have been working closely to reach an in-principle agreement which provides fair and reasonable outcomes. Our priority has been to ensure that patients and their families have access to high quality health care, and this proposed agreement will ensure that that continues.

Reaching agreement with our nurses, midwives and now the medical officers will ensure we continue to provide the South Australian public with specialised care and treatment. The proposed agreement includes a voluntary flexible hours arrangement for medical specialists, which will mean more specialists are available to provide care for patients when they need it. This flexibility will help to improve the time in which patients are seen, diagnosed and treated so they can get home—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I'm hearing a voice, sir, out there in the distance somewhere.

The SPEAKER: Maybe Banquo's ghost!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: This vague voice, a voice crying out in the wilderness. Under the three-year agreement, medical officers will receive salary increases of 9 per cent from 14 April this year, 3 per cent from 14 April next year, 3 per cent from 14 April 2015 and 2.5 per cent from 14 April 2016. The last pay increase was in April 2010. The 9 per cent pay increase from April 2013 takes into consideration the three years since the last pay rise.

They will also receive increases and reimbursement rates for professional development, remote call and recall payments, and managerial allowances, as well as an improved job planning structure to help balance their clinical and non-clinical commitments. This agreement will allow doctors to continue to care for patients in safe and effective ways in our public hospitals.

SASMOA will recommend to its members at a meeting this evening that they accept the offer. Medical officers from across the South Australian public health care system will be able to vote on the proposed enterprise agreement by ballot, starting tomorrow. Subject to that ballot, a formal agreement will be sought from the Industrial Relations Commission and then, I would imagine, sir, the information will be available on the Industrial Relations Commission website.

I want to take this opportunity to commend the President of SASMOA, Dr David Pope, for his leadership and willingness to help bring this negotiation to a close. I would also thank SASMOA, SA Health and Department of the Premier and Cabinet staff for their efforts to find a positive way through complex negotiations. South Australia will continue to enjoy the best healthcare services in the country.

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