CHAIRMAN --We are continuing with subprogram 2.1. Senator WALTERS --You may remember that I had asked the Department
and the Commission whether they used the pollster ANOP to carry out
research into Medicare and they had both said yes. In which years, since
1984? Mr McNeil --I will have to take that question
Senator PATTERSON --I thank the Department for the answers to my
questions on notice. I have a couple of points that I want to clarify. On
the costs of systems development, the answer was $570,000. Were any other
costs involved, for example, software changes in pharmacies? Does that
include the cost of software in
Senator PATTERSON --I have some questions in relation to another
question I put on notice about private insurance. I asked questions about
the reasons behind the Department's examination of the use of members'
funds by private health insurers and whether the Department had any
evidence that members' funds were being misused. One does not
Senator PATTERSON --When will the Commonwealth provide written
advice to the States regarding the details of the proposed new Medicare
agreement? Or have they been written to? Ms Ariotti --Senator Patterson, a discussion paper will be
forwarded to the States today. The paper sets out the direction and much of
the content, and identifies
Senator PATTERSON --I have some trick questions about the
training workshops which were held for what were GAT teams, now ACAT staff,
run by TARCRAC and held in February and March earlier this year. Ms
Murnane, could you tell me how much the total cost of those workshops was
and how many workshops there
Senator WALTERS --In the Budget there was to be $60,000 given to
some nursing homes. Could you give me a list of those? Ms Murnane --Not yet. No decisions have been taken. If I could
perhaps put it in context, there was an initiative in the Budget to provide
for this financial year
Senator NEWMAN --Could I have an explanation of the rationale
behind the new workers compensation arrangements due to come into effect in
January, under which the Commonwealth will only reimburse the average
industry levy rate for Workcare levy repayments? Ms Murnane --That was the decision the Government took in the
context of the 1990
Senator PATTERSON --Could you tell me the average waiting times
for appointments in the Australian Government Health Service in 1991-92 and
the average waiting times in 1991? Would you have those two figures
available? Mr Kelly --The figure varied. We do not have any specific figure,
but I can get some of those for
Senator PATTERSON --One of the Budget announcements was to
increase funding available to Australian Hearing Services to meet the
expected increase in demand as a result of the decision to abolish a
special income and assets test for pensioners, making them eligible for the
full range of Commonwealth fringe benefits including hearing aids. Can
Senator WALTERS --I will ask the Minister this question because
I know he will be interested in this. As far as domestic violence goes,
Guyra House was asking me some questions about what had happened to the
funding for--I have forgotten the name of the program. You remember we had
a program for men
Senator PATTERSON --I have a series of questions on SAAP. The
questions are fairly straightforward about why there was a change from
monthly to quarterly payments. Could I put those on notice? Mr Hamilton --I think it is the other way around, Senator. Senator PATTERSON --Quarterly to monthly, I mean. Monthly rather
than
Senator PATTERSON --I asked you this question earlier, Mr
Hamilton, and you said it was appropriate to ask it at subprogram 7.1. So I
am asking again, and you may need to take it on notice: how many staff of
the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services are currently
employed in each State?
CHAIRMAN --The Committee will now consider the Department of
Health, Housing and Community Services. We will do this Department program
by program. Senator WALTERS --Madam Chair, I have some general questions. CHAIRMAN --Will they not relate to any program? Senator WALTERS --That is what I was going to ask you. I do
Senator WALTERS --I have a question on subprogram 1.1 on drug
abuse reduction. The ACT Minister for Health is examining the proposal for
police in the ACT to distribute methadone to people in custody and
community health centres to sell it to others. Does the Federal Department
have any control over the distribution of
Senator PATTERSON --On subprogram 2.1, Medicare benefits, is it
correct that the Department undertook some analysis of the coalition health
policy? Mr Hamilton --Yes, it is correct. Senator PATTERSON --How many departmental staff were assigned to
that analysis? Mr Hamilton --They were not directly assigned to it, they just did
it as part of