Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I think of just over 100 cases, Senator Abetz—on the issue surrounding the foreign doctors who had come into Australia. I understand, following that survey, they reported to then Minister Andrews on the outcome of that survey. I also understand from recent briefing that he actually did not respond to that, because the report came up, as I understand it, at the start of the caretaker period, and the brief was not formally responded to by him. But, certainly, as a result of the review initiated by Mr Andrews, the department sought to consult with the various states about the regulation of doctors, their conditions and their experiences. There has been, as I understand it, toing and froing between the states and the Commonwealth about the management of these issues. Immigration obviously has responsibilities for the visas and those sorts of things; the question is the interaction between the state governments, the immigration department and particularly medical registration boards, which are responsible for the registration of the qualifications of doctors in order to practise inside Australia.

I understand there were issues and concerns raised as a result of this interaction. I have asked the department to brief me on the progress of those matters, and I intend on listing that matter on the agenda when I meet with state ministers, because there are a range of issues that have emerged, including state claims to privacy over the records of doctors et cetera. I am very keen to see if we cannot progress this matter. Clearly, though, there are issues of privacy. There are questions of registration. I think it is appropriate that the medical registration boards in each state continue to take responsibility for checking the qualifications of doctors. I do not see that as being Immigration’s core business, but we do need to be satisfied that those proper checks have occurred.

As you are aware, foreign doctors are essential for the provision of health services in this country. Due to the failure to train enough of our own doctors in recent years, we have severe shortages. All senators would be aware that we have large numbers of foreign trained doctors operating inside Australia. Obviously, there has been some concern, particularly in Queensland over the Dr Patel incident, but I can assure the senator that I intend to pursue the issues that the former minister first raised, one of which is to make sure we have integrity in the system in relation to overseas medical practitioners brought into this country. A lot of that involves better coordination between the states, the medical boards and the department of immigration.