Wednesday, October 20, 2004
This could get ugly
Health Minister Annette King has sipped from the poison chalice that is the Health Portfolio successfully for some time now, but it looks as though things might go sour rather quickly.
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists is calling on the Government to bring forward the December 1 enforcement date of a health sector code of good faith under new industrial law, requiring striking unions to provide life-preserving patient services.So, a direct call from an Association of professionals in her portfolio for "urgent Government action" to help avoid an impending crisis, and the response via a spokesman?
"Urgent Government action is required if the catastrophic national six-day strike is not to be a complete disaster for patients," executive director Ian Powell said as Parliament was due last night to pass the Employment Relations Law Reform Bill through its final reading.
A spokesman for Health Minister Annette King said her policy stood of not commenting on industrial issues.Gutsy.
