Queensland Government fails to appease public specialist medicos in contract talks #qldpol #smoqld #keepourdoctors
DOCTORS last night voted unanimously to reject Health Minister Lawrence Springborg’s latest offer to end the crisis over public hospital contracts.
About 1500 doctors and their supporters, including Assistant Health Minister Chris Davis, attended a meeting at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, calling on the Newman Government to halt the rollout of the “unfair” contracts.
They supported a resolution condemning the “Government’s attempts to coerce them to sign unfair individual contracts” by cutting their remuneration as highly offensive.
The doctors have asked their representatives to continue negotiations.
Last night’s meeting comes after Mr Springborg gave significant ground back to the doctors this week, pledging to change legislation to limit his Director-General’s powers to alter an individual contract.
Dr Davis and his wife, paediatric neurologist Kate Sinclair, who are mourning the loss of her teenage daughter Jess Lindley-Jones, were given a standing ovation when they arrived at the meeting last night.
“The wording of these original contracts is all about enabling unfettered managers,” Dr Davis said.
A bid by Queensland Health Director-General Ian Maynard to end the crisis failed to appease the doctors. Mr Maynard pleaded with the doctors to consider the latest offer, saying he believed “in my heart” the solutions addressed all the medical profession’s concerns.
Doctors must sign the contracts – which take effect from July – by April 30 or risk losing up to 30 per cent of their pay.