Health report stays secret

HEALTH Minister Michael Ferguson has refused to hand over a report critical of health system funding to an Upper House inquiry.

Mr Ferguson, Health Department secretary Michael Pervan and Ambulance Tasmania CEO Michael Kirby appeared before the Legislative Council Sessional Sub-Committee on Acute Health Services yesterday.

The minister declined to provide the committee a KPMG report of Estimates of Growth in Prices in the Tasmanian Health Services and their Contribution to Growth in Expenditure.

The report is understood to identify a persistent “structural deficit” in health funding of $96.4 million in 2015-16, rising to $100 million in 2016-17. Its release has been blocked under Right to Information laws.

“My understanding is that that is internal for Government,” Mr Ferguson said.

Hobart MLC Rob Valentine asked if it was “not possible for us to get a copy of that report?”. Mr Ferguson replied: “That’s my understanding.”

Mr Ferguson said releasing it would discourage advisers from giving advice “on a frank and fearless basis” despite the committee’s “natural interest and curiosity” in seeing the KPMG report.

Mr Valentine said not having the report would make it hard for the committee to make recommendations and findings without having all the information it needed.

Mr Ferguson said he wasn’t even able to speak of the report, denying that it was embarrassing to the Government.

“I can sense the curiosity, it’s not of that nature. If I speak about it I’m breaching my own advice to you that’s internal government [advice],” he said.

“I’m not in a position to speak to it, but I am able to say that and consultant or department advice is always taken in good faith so we can make good decisions.”

Labor Leader Rebecca White said Mr Ferguson was keeping information from the public.

“If the Minister for Health is unwilling to share this information not just with the people of Tasmania but with a parliamentary inquiry then we do have serious questions to be answered by this minister as to why he’s hiding it and why he’s protecting himself from proper scrutiny,” she said.

Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest asked Mr Ferguson why the health budgets each year were less than actual expenditure the year before.

He said: “The fact is that the health system in the last financial year cost more than the government budgeted.”

“It has every year, that’s my point,” Ms Forrest said.

The Health Minister responded: “I’ve already said on a number of occasions we will be budgeting for extra support.”

Yesterday’s hearing was the first time a health minister has appeared before the committee in 20 years.