WEBVTT - 'Good step' - New legislation aims to call Healthscope's 'bluff' 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:02.400 The state government today has moved to speed up the 0:00:02.400 --> 0:00:06.560 process of bringing the public element of the Northern Beaches Hospital, 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:09.680 which is operated by Healthscope, back under control of the 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:11.559 state government. Now, you know, we've focused a lot on 0:00:11.560 --> 0:00:13.840 this issue on the station over the past couple of 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:18.320 months following the tragic death of Joe Massa. Joe Massa 0:00:18.360 --> 0:00:22.920 may well be alive if the Northern Beaches emergency Department 0:00:22.920 --> 0:00:26.520 was not operated by a private operator, because, let's be clear, 0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:30.600 they took shortcuts when they put that that department together. 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:35.800 Software system wasn't up to speed. As we've been reporting. Healthscope, 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:39.720 the owners of the hospital, they're in administration and they've 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:41.760 put their hand up and they've told the state government, yes, 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:44.200 we want to do a deal. We want to negotiate 0:00:44.240 --> 0:00:48.080 change here, but it's not easy. And Daniel Wilkie's involved 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:50.120 in the negotiations. The treasurer at the moment, it's going 0:00:50.120 --> 0:00:53.000 to drag out and drag out. Well, the government today 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:55.680 has announced they're going to make some adjustments, some amendments 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:59.280 to legislation that's been introduced by the independent member for Wakehurst, 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:03.840 Michael Regan. And the government is saying what this would do. 0:01:03.960 --> 0:01:06.640 It would mean that they would then have the ability 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:10.840 to basically take control. They'd be able to step in effectively. 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:13.200 And yes, there would still be an independent body that 0:01:13.200 --> 0:01:16.960 would decide on how much Healthscope would pay. But effectively, 0:01:16.959 --> 0:01:21.319 if these negotiations just keep if they're not resolved, the 0:01:21.319 --> 0:01:24.200 government will step in. Michael Regan joins us. Hello, Michael. 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:25.520 Good afternoon sir. 0:01:25.560 --> 0:01:29.120 Your legislation before Parliament next week. Daniel, Mookie and Ryan 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:31.440 Park have announced these amendments today. Is this is this 0:01:31.440 --> 0:01:32.120 a good step? 0:01:32.800 --> 0:01:35.240 I think it's a great step because we're all over 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.240 waiting for this negotiation to continue. It's in the hands 0:01:38.240 --> 0:01:41.200 of receivers who are now slowing this process down. And 0:01:41.240 --> 0:01:44.880 as the treasurer put it, they are looking to eke tens, 0:01:45.000 --> 0:01:48.280 hundreds of millions of dollars potentially out of future profits. 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:50.560 And that's just not right, because they're trying to use 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:55.040 the terms of the crappy deed and PGP that was signed. 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:57.680 I made the point when this story first broke, and 0:01:57.680 --> 0:01:59.560 when Healthscope put their hands up and said, look, this 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:02.280 is before they went into administration. I made the point 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:03.680 this was going to be a very long and drawn 0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:06.800 out process, because there'll be after money. And Daniel Mookie 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:08.120 made it clear that he wasn't going to let them 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:10.770 profit from it. Are you confident this is going to 0:02:10.770 --> 0:02:11.610 actually speed it up? 0:02:12.490 --> 0:02:14.769 I think so, because from what the way it's been 0:02:14.770 --> 0:02:17.810 presented to myself as the person who introduced the bill 0:02:17.850 --> 0:02:20.610 on the basis that, like they've said to us, Healthscope 0:02:20.610 --> 0:02:22.329 has said we don't want to get a windfall gain, 0:02:22.330 --> 0:02:23.850 but we want to do this to the terms of 0:02:23.850 --> 0:02:27.770 the the deed. The deed says you get a windfall gain. 0:02:27.810 --> 0:02:30.049 So like, well, you're either fair dinkum or you're not. 0:02:30.050 --> 0:02:31.890 So I've said, bugger that, I'm putting a piece of 0:02:31.889 --> 0:02:36.210 legislation calls your bluff. That's happened. And so the treasurer 0:02:36.210 --> 0:02:38.330 and the minister have looked at it and said, we 0:02:38.330 --> 0:02:41.130 need some other amendments to this to essentially say that 0:02:41.130 --> 0:02:43.530 the because it is dragging out now, they're not doing 0:02:43.530 --> 0:02:45.810 this in good faith in the public's view at least. 0:02:45.810 --> 0:02:49.290 And from what we can see and where these amendments 0:02:49.290 --> 0:02:51.690 seek to say that the Ryan can step in and say, 0:02:51.690 --> 0:02:54.330 the minister can step in and say, right, I'm taking 0:02:54.330 --> 0:02:56.970 this over as backing the public and the treasurer separately 0:02:56.970 --> 0:02:59.570 with an independent person can look at what, if any, 0:02:59.570 --> 0:03:02.490 compensation will be made available so we can get on 0:03:02.490 --> 0:03:05.330 with returning it back into public hands faster. And that's 0:03:05.330 --> 0:03:06.970 the key to it, I guess. And that's the way 0:03:06.970 --> 0:03:09.690 it's been presented to myself. And that's why at the 0:03:09.690 --> 0:03:11.890 moment I can't see any reason why not to support it. 0:03:11.889 --> 0:03:15.050 Because Clinton, you would know The nurses and the staff 0:03:15.050 --> 0:03:18.250 there in particular are really suffering, and they're copying this 0:03:18.250 --> 0:03:20.570 big time and they've got their own wages dispute. They've 0:03:20.570 --> 0:03:23.209 got unpaid wages claim for fair work. It just goes on. 0:03:23.210 --> 0:03:25.090 When's it going to end? They just they're getting paid 0:03:25.090 --> 0:03:29.010 less than the current public nurses. So and they're getting 0:03:29.010 --> 0:03:32.090 paid less than their counterparts in Queensland. Like it's just crazy. 0:03:32.130 --> 0:03:34.090 Well I don't have a great deal of confidence. After 0:03:34.290 --> 0:03:36.370 speaking with Daniel Mookie last week on this show, Michael, 0:03:36.370 --> 0:03:38.050 that if he makes a saving in this area, he's 0:03:38.050 --> 0:03:39.690 going to throw it towards the nurses. He's now put 0:03:39.690 --> 0:03:42.330 it over to the Industrial Relations Commission. But I agree 0:03:42.330 --> 0:03:44.610 the sentiment should mean the nurses get some more money. 0:03:44.610 --> 0:03:46.930 I doubt that's going to happen, but I appreciate you 0:03:46.970 --> 0:03:49.050 campaigning on this because I think it's such an important issue. 0:03:49.610 --> 0:03:51.570 Yeah, I do too. And I just don't want the 0:03:51.570 --> 0:03:53.450 New South Wales taxpayers. You know, it's not just that 0:03:53.450 --> 0:03:55.890 the northern beaches, it's about the New South Wales taxpayers 0:03:55.930 --> 0:03:58.890 not giving contributing a cent to what's going on there 0:03:58.890 --> 0:04:02.090 because this is about they've put profit ahead of patient 0:04:02.090 --> 0:04:04.810 care and that's been demonstrated time and time again. Wait 0:04:04.850 --> 0:04:06.970 till you start reading the submissions as they come through 0:04:06.970 --> 0:04:10.290 the the latest parliamentary inquiry. It is shocking that's coming 0:04:10.290 --> 0:04:12.570 from those who were inside, those who are dealing with 0:04:12.570 --> 0:04:15.290 it on a daily basis, and they're telling their stories 0:04:15.290 --> 0:04:16.330 and it's crazy. 0:04:16.370 --> 0:04:18.690 Good on you, Michael. Michael Regan, who's the member for Wakehurst?