27 October 2010 The total incompetence of Health Minister Nicola Roxon was on full public display today as the Government had to stall debate on one piece of health legislation after failing to reveal a host of planned amendments.
Yet again it puts the lie to Minister Roxon’s constant claims that everyone other than her is delaying her health legislation.
Debate had begun on the Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill, non-controversial legislation dealing with regulation of medical devices, when the government indicated that it had nine pages of changes containing 15 amendments to the Amendment Bill.
The debate had to be suspended because the Minister had failed to circulate the amendments, some of which have little relation to the Bill before the Parliament.
The TGA Amendment Bill was introduced into the previous Parliament and Minister Roxon has known since then that amendments to it were going to be proposed.
They were drawn up weeks ago, but only revealed today.
Minister Roxon constantly whinges that her health legislation is being ‘delayed and opposed’ and is log-jammed in the Senate, conveniently ignoring the reality that she and her government decide what legislation will or won’t be debated.
Today’s events highlight the shambolic handling of legislation by the Health Minister.
If Minister Roxon can’t manage the parliamentary process, how can she be trusted to deliver Labor’s complex proposals for so-called ‘reform’ in health?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for incompetence.
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