Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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7080 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 (1) What is the Government doing to review the Bovine Johne's disease control program? (2) Is the Minister aware of concerns that the control program is in need of revision due to poor science and inadequate diagnostic technology? Answer— (1) A review of BJD Management in NSW has commenced. The final date for submissions is 26 October 2009. (2) One of the specific issues to be addressed by the review is the possible impact of new technologies on the program. *7442 PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH TEACHING POSITIONS—Mr Andrew Constance asked the Minister for Education and Training, and Minister for Women— (1) Is the Minister aware of a motion passed unanimously at the Narooma Public School Federation rejecting the department's proposal to abolish nearly 2,000 teaching positions which support students with special needs? (2) What is the Government's position? Answer— (1) Yes. (2) There is no plan to abolish any teaching positions. This Government is increasing the support to students with special needs with funding for special education increasing to $1.106 billion in the 2009⁄2010 financial year. New positions, known as School Learning Support Teachers, are currently the subject of consultation as part of a proposed new program to be known as the School Learning Support Program. These proposals are currently the subject of consultation with key groups including principals, parents, advocacy groups and unions which will continue until the middle of 2010, while the proposal is trialled in two regions. An evaluation of the existing School Learning Support Coordinator initiative is also currently underway. No decision about the future of this proposal will be made until the consultations, trials and evaluation are finalised. *7443 WESTERN PATHOLOGY CLUSTER—Mr Andrew Constance asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of the Executive Council— (1) Is the Minister aware of concerns from GPs and VMOs about the Western Pathology Cluster and the reporting of results? (2) What is being done to rectify these concerns? (3) Are GPs and VMOs opting to use other services due to the performance of the public pathology service in Greater Southern Area Health Service? Answer— I am advised: (1) and (2) Correspondence was received in August 2009 from the Southern General Practice Network Ltd regarding the pathology services provided by the Western Pathology Cluster. In response the Western Pathology Cluster Executive formulated an action plan to address the issues raised. The Action Plan includes: • The establishment of a clinical feedback group comprising representative GPs from Greater Southern Area Health Services to validate and design decisions prior to implementation of any new system. • Communication strategies implemented by Western Pathology Cluster in the form of update notification and personal communications to doctors regarding issues raised. • Western Pathology Cluster Executive conducting operational meetings with the Executive of Greater Southern Area Health Services to ensure progression of agreed actions. To date, all agreed actions have been put into operation. While significant improvements have been made regarding the issues raised, the Western Pathology Cluster will continue to seek feedback from General Practitioners, to further improve the quality of results. Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
7081 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009 (3) The Western Pathology Cluster has confirmed that a number of clinicians have in the past been authorized to use alternative pathology providers for specific reasons relating to their special areas of practice. NSW Department of Health Circular 2004⁄58 clearly states the process required prior to referring a pathology test for private patients from a Public Pathology Service to a Private Pathologist. Western Pathology Cluster provides pathology services to the public hospitals, category B Laboratories, of the South East Public pathology Service. The provision of pathology services to outpatients who are privately referred by medical practitioners is an additional service which benefits the community, particularly if a private pathology services is not readily accessible in rural areas. *7444 SOLAR ELECTRICITY GENERATION—Mr Peter Debnam asked the Premier, and Minister for the Arts— Given your advice that you established a NSW Solar Flagships Taskforce which convened a major Solar Energy Workshop on 7 July 2009 (Question 6932), what did the July Taskforce discuss and resolve? Answer— The aim of the workshop was to obtain the views of solar industry stakeholders on what the NSW Government can do to increase solar energy investment in NSW and, in particular, how to leverage Australian Government funding available under its Solar Flagships Program. The workshop was attended by stakeholders representing solar companies, energy retailers, financiers and representatives of government departments. Workshop participants were asked to consider a range of issues related to growing a solar industry in NSW, and to provide feedback on how the NSW Government could attract at least one Solar Flagships Program project to our State. These discussions have informed targeted stakeholder consultation and the NSW Government's submission on the design of the Solar Flagships Program. *7445 REPLIES TO CORRESPONDENCE—Mr Peter Debnam asked the Premier, and Minister for the Arts— Given your advice that correspondence sent to the Premier is managed on the Premier's behalf under standing arrangements by the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Question 6936): (1) Does the Premier personally read the emails sent to him on the internet on the page entitled "Talk to the Premier"? (2) Does the Premier authorise the replies? (3) If he does not, then who does? Answer— The Premier is sent numerous items of correspondence from different sources, including messages sent through the "Talk to the Premier" facility on the Premier's website. It is not practicable for the Premier personally to read and deal with each item of correspondence. The Department of Premier and Cabinet manages correspondence on the Premier's behalf under standing arrangements. Under those arrangements, some correspondence will be referred to the Department or to other relevant Ministers or agencies. *7446 FRUIT IMPORTATION—Mr Andrew Fraser asked the Minister for Education and Training, and Minister for Women representing the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy, Minister for Mineral Resources, Minister for State Development— (1) Have you made any representations to the Federal Government to stop the importation of apples, pears and bananas into Australia? (2) What, if any, was the Government's response? Answer— (1) Industry and Investment NSW (formally NSW Department of Primary Industries) has made representations to the Federal Government through the Federal Import Risk Analysis process on the importation of apples, pears and bananas into Australia. (2) This question should be directed to the Federal Government. *7447 WIDENING OF THE F5—Mr Andrew Fraser asked the Minister for Roads— (1) How much money has the Federal Government provided for the widening of the F5 from Brooks Road to Campbelltown? Produced by Altsoft Xml2PDF
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Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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