Ms REBA MEAGHER: I have additional information to provide in response to the question asked by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. As members of the House may recall, I announced last week that a telephone counselling and support service was established to enable former patients of Dr Graeme Reeves to access support. Staff at this helpline have been making an initial assessment of the callers' needs and have arranged for workers from an appropriate counselling service to contact the callers for further assistance. As of this morning the helpline had received 17 calls with regard to Dr Reeves. Again, I encourage all women who have suffered a bad experience to make contact with our professional counsellors.

I can also advise the House that the Health Care Complaints Commission has received 11 formal complaints and 47 telephone calls since 26 February. The commission has indicated that it is cooperating with police in passing on all relevant information. The issue of compensation for former patients of Dr Reeves has also been raised. I gave a public assurance last week that New South Wales will take responsibility for any failings of public hospitals—

Mrs Jillian Skinner: Point of order: This has no bearing on any question I asked. It is a ministerial statement. I ask you to rule thus so that I am able to respond.

The SPEAKER: Order! As I do not have a copy of the question in front of me, I cannot make a ruling in relation to that matter. I ask the Minister to conclude her answer as quickly as possible.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: In relation to the question of compensation, I gave an assurance—

Mrs Jillian Skinner: I did not ask about that.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: I think the issues are of such public significance that this information should be shared with the House.

The SPEAKER: Order! I have read the question asked by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. It does not refer to compensation. However, some aspects of the Minister's answer are clearly relevant to the question asked. The Minister has the call.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: As members will also know, police Strike Force Tarella has commenced and the advice of this task force will be important. However, NSW Health has in place specific provisions to ensure early evaluation of medical negligence claims prior to the commencement of any formal legal proceedings.

Mr Barry O'Farrell: Point of order: This is an abuse of the forms of the House. The question clearly relates to inaction on this issue by Morris Iemma as Minister for Health and by the Iemma Government in the six-month period leading up to April 2003, not what the Minister has done in the past six weeks—what the Government did not do four years ago.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the Minister to return to the leave of the question. I remind her that she is providing supplementary information.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: I have made it clear that I expect the department to use those procedures to deal with negligence claims against public hospitals that are arising from these cases. Questions were asked today in relation to the recruitment and termination of Dr Reeves.

Mrs Jillian Skinner: Point of order: My question was specific, as you know, Mr Speaker. It is based on information in a document. Perhaps it would help if I tabled the document, which is a record of all the problems—

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition cannot table a document. I ask her to resume her seat.

Mr Andrew Fraser: To the point of order: The forms of the House clearly indicate that the Minister is now delivering nothing more and nothing less than a ministerial statement. The question asked in the House today was directed to the Premier and was about his term as health Minister. It asked why it took six months for this person to be sacked. The supplementary answer being given by the Minister is a wrap-up of the entire situation regarding the butcher of Bega. It should be ruled a ministerial statement and the shadow Minister for Health should be given the opportunity to respond to the issues that the Minister has raised.

The SPEAKER: Order! I have asked the Minister to return to the leave of the question. Her answer is starting to sound like a ministerial statement.

Ms REBA MEAGHER: I will conclude my remarks but I find it extraordinary that the New South Wales Opposition wants to shut down my giving the House information that is relevant to these women. It is a disgrace that the Opposition has used the forms of the House—

Mrs Jillian Skinner: Point of order: Far from wanting to shut the Minister down, I would love her to give an explanation and I would like the opportunity to respond, as this is a ministerial statement.

The SPEAKER: Order! No point of order is involved.