General-Purpose Standing Committee No. 2

The Clerk tabled, pursuant to standing orders, report No. 27, entitled "The Management and Operations of the Ambulance Service of NSW" dated October 2008, together with transcripts of evidence, submissions, tabled documents, correspondence and answers to questions taken on notice, received out of session and authorised to be printed on 20 October 2008.

The Hon. ROBYN PARKER [3.42 p.m.]: I move:

That the House take note of the report.

The Ambulance Service of New South Wales has been reviewed numerous times, but this review was specifically in relation to bullying and harassment issues within the organisation. Of significant concern was the way in which management handled, or failed to handle, matters. The committee was distressed by the depths of despair experienced by some paramedics as a result of bullying and harassment. We have made a number of key recommendations designed to address these issues and to shift the focus of management from budgets and performance indicators to its key asset, its people. We made a number of recommendations to strengthen accountability within the service and emphasised that it is the responsibility of the New South Wales Minister for Health and the Director General of Health to ensure that senior executives are fulfilling their tasks.

Debate adjourned on motion by the Hon. Robyn Parker and set down as an order of the day for a future day.