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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
HEALTH AMENDMENT BILL 2003
2003
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL
TERRITORY
(As presented)
(Minister for Health)
Health
Amendment Bill 2003
Contents
Page
2003
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL
TERRITORY
(As presented)
(Minister for Health)
Health Amendment Bill
2003
A Bill for
An Act to amend the Health Act 1993
The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as
follows:
This Act is the Health Amendment Act 2003.
This Act commences on the day after its notification day.
Note The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence
on the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).
This Act amends the Health Act 1993.
insert
Part 6A VMO service
contracts
33A Definitions for pt 6A
In this part:
authorised representative means a corporation authorised as a
representative under section 33F.
core conditions means conditions determined under section
33C.
negotiating agent means a corporation approved as a
negotiating agent under section 33E.
negotiating period—see section 33D (2).
practice corporation, of a VMO, means a corporation that is
controlled or conducted by the VMO and by which the VMO conducts his or her
practice as a doctor or dentist.
service contract means a contract for services, between the
Territory and a VMO (or the VMO’s practice corporation), under which the
VMO is to provide health services to or for the Territory.
VMO (visiting medical officer) means a doctor or dentist who
is engaged, or who the Territory proposes to engage, under a service
contract.
33B Service contracts
(1) The Territory must not enter into a service contract unless it
includes the core conditions that apply to the contract.
(2) A service contract entered into in contravention of
subsection (1) is void.
(3) A condition of a service contract that is inconsistent with a core
condition that applies to the contract is void to the extent of the
inconsistency.
33C Core conditions
(1) The Minister may, in writing, determine core conditions for service
contracts.
(2) The Minister must not determine a condition as a core condition unless
the condition has been—
(a) agreed in collective negotiations under section 33D; or
(b) decided by arbitration under section 33G.
(3) A determination of core conditions is a notifiable
instrument.
Note A notifiable instrument must be notified under the Legislation
Act.
33D Collective negotiations
(1) The Territory may negotiate with a negotiating agent, or negotiating
agents, to establish proposed core conditions for service contracts.
(2) Before beginning collective negotiations, the Minister must determine
a period (the negotiating period) for the negotiations.
(3) A determination of a negotiating period is a notifiable
instrument.
Note A notifiable instrument must be notified under the Legislation
Act.
33E Negotiating agents
(1) The Minister may, in writing, approve a corporation as a negotiating
agent.
(2) The Minister must not approve a corporation as a negotiating agent
unless the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) the corporation is the authorised representative of at least 50 VMOs
who, between them, belong to at least 3 of the following categories:
(i) physician;
(ii) surgeon;
(iii) obstetrician and gynaecologist;
(iv) anaesthetist;
(v) general practitioner or other doctor or dentist; and
(b) the corporation is not disqualified under subsection (3);
and
(c) the corporation is otherwise suitable to be a negotiating agent having
regard to anything that may reasonably influence that decision, including the
following:
(i) any criminal or civil court proceedings in which the corporation or an
executive officer of the corporation has been concerned in the previous 10
years;
(ii) any levy of execution against the corporation or an executive officer
of the corporation that is not satisfied;
(iii) whether an executive officer of the corporation has ceased to carry
on business, or has been involved in the management of a corporation that has
ceased to carry on business, with the result that creditors were not fully paid
or are unlikely to be fully paid;
(iv) any previous performance of the corporation as a negotiating
agent.
(3) For subsection (2) (b), a corporation is disqualified
if—
(a) the corporation, or an executive officer of the corporation, has been
convicted, in the ACT or elsewhere, of—
(i) an offence punishable by imprisonment for longer than 1 year;
or
(ii) an offence that involves dishonesty and is punishable by imprisonment
for 3 months or longer; or
(b) the corporation has a receiver, receiver and manager, or provisional
liquidator appointed over part or all of its affairs, or is otherwise under
external administration; or
(c) the corporation is insolvent, enters into voluntary administration or
makes an arrangement with its creditors or takes the benefit of any law for the
relief of insolvent debtors; or
(d) any of the following apply to an executive officer of the
corporation:
(i) the executive officer has been disqualified under the Corporations Act
from managing a corporation;
(ii) the executive officer is an undischarged bankrupt under the law of
Australia or elsewhere;
(iii) the executive officer has executed a deed or arrangement under the
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth) (or a similar law of an external Territory or
foreign country) and the terms of the deed have not been fully complied
with;
(iv) the executive officer’s creditors have accepted a composition
under that Act (or a similar law of an external Territory or foreign country)
and final payment has not been made under the composition.
(4) In this section:
executive officer, of a corporation, means a person, by
whatever name called and whether or not the person is a director of the
corporation, who is concerned with or takes part in the management of the
corporation.
33F Authorised representatives
(1) A VMO may, in writing, authorise 1 corporation to represent the VMO in
collective negotiations under section 33D.
Note If a form is approved under s 37A for an authorisation, the
form must be used.
(2) The authorisation must nominate 1 of the categories mentioned in
section 33E (2) (a) as the category to which the VMO
belongs.
33G Arbitration
(1) This section applies if agreement is not reached in collective
negotiations between the Territory and a negotiating agent or negotiating agents
in relation to a matter before the end of the negotiating period.
(2) The matter must be decided by arbitration.
(3) The arbitration must be conducted under the Commercial Arbitration
Act 1986 and in accordance with principles and rules determined, in writing,
by the Minister.
(4) That Act applies to the arbitration as if the determined principles
and rules were an arbitration agreement between the Territory and the
negotiating agent or negotiating agents.
(5) The principles and rules—
(a) must be determined by the Minister having regard to the objective of
improving the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of health services, and
other public interest considerations; and
(b) must include a requirement that the arbitrator has appropriate
experience.
(6) A determination of principles and rules for arbitration is a
notifiable instrument.
Note A notifiable instrument must be notified under the Legislation
Act.
33H Trade Practices Act
authorisation
For the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cwlth) and the Competition Code of
the ACT, the following are authorised:
(a) collective negotiations between the Territory and an approved
negotiating agent, or approved negotiating agents, under this part;
(b) the conditions agreed in those negotiations;
(c) service contracts containing core conditions;
(d) everything done under a service contract.
insert
37A Approved forms
(1) The Minister may, in writing, approve forms for this Act.
(2) If the Minister approves a form for a particular purpose, the form
must be used for that purpose.
Note For other provisions about forms, see Legislation Act, s
255.
(3) An approved form is a notifiable instrument.
Note A notifiable instrument must be notified under the Legislation
Act.
6 Dictionary,
new definitions
insert
authorised representative, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
core conditions, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
negotiating agent, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
negotiating period, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33D (2).
practice corporation, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
service contract, for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
VMO (visiting medical officer), for part 6A (VMO service
contracts)—see section 33A.
Endnote
Republications of amended laws
For the latest republication of amended laws, see
www.legislation.act.gov.au.
©
Australian Capital Territory 2003
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