David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

There have been several amendments which have strengthened the bill. They are commonsense recommendations. Firstly, it clarifies the scope of the role to include providing advice to the minister on the development and distribution of health workforce and other matters relating to health reform—essentially, a very commonsense putting in print of some of the roles that we had envisaged for the health commissioner; they are now there in black and white. Also, there is the initiative to review the role of the National Rural Health Commissioner 12 months before cessation for consideration of extension, if appropriate, and to direct the commissioner to consider the advice of the Rural Health Stakeholder Roundtable and the distribution working group—all commonsense recommendations and amendments which, obviously, I support. I would like to thank members on the other side for their contribution to the debate.

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