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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-11 Daily Xml
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HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMPLAINTS COMMISSION

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations, representing the Minister for Health, questions about the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission.

Leave granted.

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: When the Health and Community Services Complaints Act was passed in 2004, there was great anticipation. This act was to enable users of health and community services to lodge any complaints about them and have them resolved. Section 19 of the act provides:

(1) The Commissioner must develop a draft Charter of Health and Community Services Rights.

(2) The draft must be presented to the minister within 12 months after the commencement of this part or within such longer period as the minister may allow.

(3) The Commissioner must report to the minister on the development of the draft at intervals of not more than four months until the draft is presented to the minister under subsection (2).

More than three years after the opening of the commission, there is still no charter. If a recent browse of the commission's website is any guide, it appears that work has not even begun on the charter.

Another requirement of the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission was to establish an advisory council and, again, that has not occurred. A number of constituents have contacted my office to express their disappointment with the commission's handling of their complaints. A recent survey by Health Rights & Community Action showed very high dissatisfaction with the commission. It recorded an average satisfaction level of less than 10 per cent. This contrasts with the 40 per cent satisfaction when the state Ombudsman was handling these complaints. My questions to the Minister for Health are:

1. As per the act, was the minister provided with a draft charter within 12 months of the proclamation of that section of the act? If so, why do we still not have a charter? Did the minister allow a longer time for its formulation and, if so, is more than three years enough time?

2. What communications has the minister had with the commission in regard to this apparent failure? What action will the minister now take to ensure a charter is established, and when can we expect that charter to be in place?

3. Why has an advisory council not been established, and what action will the minister now take to ensure it is established; and when can we expect an advisory council to be in place?

4. Is the minister aware of consumer dissatisfaction with the commission, and how does he propose to address this?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:01): I thank the honourable member for her questions relating to the development of a charter and the establishment of an advisory council, and I will refer those questions to the Minister for Health in another place and bring back a response.

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