Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move government amendment (1) on sheet 5836:

• (1)            Page 5 (after line 27), after clause 5, insert:

5A  Functions do not include accreditation

        (1)    The functions of Health Workforce Australia do not include responsibility for accreditation of clinical education and training (for example, accreditation of individual health professional courses).

        (2)    The regulations must not confer on Health Workforce Australia responsibility for accreditation of clinical education and training.

This amendment is to make absolutely clear that through this legislation the functions of Health Workforce Australia will not include responsibility for accreditation of clinical education and training including, for example, accreditation of individual health professional courses. The concern that the opposition flagged during the second reading debate is that this legislation does not have enough detail in it. It is an empty vessel that could well be filled up by a government in directions that the Senate is not able to envisage. In relation to this particular issue, some serious concerns have been raised with us by people across the industry that this legislation has the potential to cut across and interfere with, for example, the role of professional colleges and other organisations in accrediting clinical education and training for health professionals. Even the government members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee acknowledge that there are a range of outstanding issues. The government members of the committee took a very optimistic view as to what would happen in terms of consultation moving forward. They said, ‘If there is going to be consultation and these issues are properly, genuinely and constructively addressed, we cannot see any reason why this legislation cannot pass now.’ However, on this side of the chamber we are somewhat suspicious; if that consultation did not happen adequately before the legislation was introduced, what assurance can we have that once the legislation has passed through the Senate the quality of that consultation will improve?

We on this side acknowledge that there are some real health workforce issues that will need to be addressed, and we do hope that Health Workforce Australia will make a significant contribution in addressing them. But we do want to make sure that what is proposed in this legislation will not cut across the important work that is being done by professional colleges and other organisations across Australia.

Senator Adams and Senator Boyce also raised the issue of the composition of the Health Workforce Australia board, and I do urge the government to seriously reflect on the comments that have been made by Senator Boyce and Senator Adams. I think the government would be well advised to consider what would be the most appropriate composition of that board in order to ensure that the approach to the governance arrangements for Health Workforce Australia are as inclusive as possible.

I am not going to hold the chamber much more. I put our position on the record during the second reading debate. As I understand it, the government will be supporting the opposition amendment and I am pleased that the Senate will be supporting our proposition that it be made absolutely clear that the responsibilities and functions of Health Workforce Australia do not include responsibility for accreditation of clinical education and training.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minority report of the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee inquiry into the bill recommended an amendment to clarify in legislation that Health Workforce Australia would not usurp the functions of accreditation agencies or universities in relation to clinical training accreditation. It is not the government’s intention that the agency usurp this function; accordingly, we are happy to support the amendment.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with an amendment; report adopted.