House debates

Wednesday, 17 August 2011

Bills

National Health Reform Amendment (National Health Performance Authority) Bill 2011; Consideration in Detail

11:05 am

Photo of Peter DuttonPeter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Health and Ageing is having difficulty. My question went in particular to what financial penalty the Commonwealth could impose without consultation with the states and territories if there has been proven clinical failure, demonstrated incompetence or a failure of management at a particular hospital. If we saw, for argument's sake, the premature birth of a baby in a public hospital toilet outside an emergency waiting room, what could the minister do under this legislation that she cannot do now? They are important questions and they go specifically to the amendments.

It is not for the minister to try to usurp the process of this parliament. The minister has to provide detailed responses. That is what the minister is obliged to do. Minister, what could you do if that happened in a public hospital today that you could not do under the previous arrangements without the aid of this legislation? I have further contributions to make.

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