GLASSON:      Good morning ladies and gentlemen. The appointment of Tony Abbott this morning as the new Health Minister - the AMA would like to welcome.

We recognise that Tony Abbott is first of all the trusted confidante of the Prime Minister and certainly a spear-carrier for the Prime Minister.

I suppose it acknowledges the fact that health will be the major issue that we're going to confront at the next election, and certainly unless health is sorted out, especially from the point of view of the indemnity and the impact that is having on the Australian work force, Australian medical work force, and the implications obviously on the [inaudible]  Medicare package in a public hospital and obviously John was going to have a difficult time.

So I think the Prime Minister's announcement is one that we welcome per se and we look forward to working with Tony Abbott on a whole range of health issues, but more importantly as I say at the outset we must sort out this indemnity issue, because [inaudible] will not have a work force to draw upon to try and work the Medicare package [inaudible] ...

QUESTION:     You're not worried that the Prime Minister's losing his number one [inaudible] boy to health?

GLASSON:      No, it seems no.  I mean he's a head kicker.  He's a strong man, but we need somebody in cabinet that's going to stand up on behalf of the patients of Australia and advocate for them.  And I'd like to think Tony Abbott is one of those people that actually can get up and send a clear signal to all those around the cabinet table that unless this issue's addressed it's going to compromise the Government's position at the next election, but more importantly it will compromise the affordability and accessibility of Australians to medical services in this country.

QUESTION:     From a lobbying point of view he doesn't have a great reputation for listening though, does he?

GLASSON:      No.   I suppose it's our role as the AMA, and the profession, to make sure that we make him listen, and to make sure he actually understands the implications of not listening because if he doesn't listen to the message out there then ultimately they're going to pay for it at the ballot box in six to twelve months time.

QUESTION:     What's the AMA reading into the fact that [inaudible]...?

GLASSON:      I've got to remember that the Prime Minister looked at that rally at the weekend where there was 4000 doctors stood up and said enough is enough, and he knows that if he's got the [inaudible] turnout for the Sunday morning when they should be a church or spending time with the family, the doctors mean business.  And they mean business on behalf of their patients because their patients are the ones who are going to hurt as the doctors decide not to continue to practice.

So I think the Prime Minister acknowledges that and I think the Prime Minister also acknowledges that any [inaudible] on that cabinet table who can get up with him and speak on behalf of the patients of Australia.

COMPERE:     Would he have been your number one choice?

GLASSON:      I think that he's a high profile minister and I think we do need a high profile minister who will actually send the message loudly.  So I think that, maybe he wouldn't have been our first choice but I look forward to working with him on a whole range of issues.

COMPERE:     He hasn't had any experience in the health area whatsoever.  What kind of challenges do you think he'll be facing?

GLASSON:      I think they're going to be huge.  I think he's got a huge learning curve and I think he'd acknowledge that himself, but I think he's smart.  I think he's quick on his feet, and I think he's politically astute and I think that's what the Government needs at the moment, to decide that what they need to do in the health area to actually take it off the front page and over the last three to four months [inaudible] you pick up the paper and there's some bad news story about health.

The Government cannot afford to have more than one bad story at a time about health.  They've had two or three on the page every day and so the Prime Minister acknowledges that, and acknowledges the fact they have to address these issues on behalf of the Australian community.

QUESTION:     [Inaudible]

GLASSON:      Well I mean if you look around at the rest of the ministers, who are you going to choose.  I mean there's not too many that have actually got a huge amount of experience in health and I think as long as you've got an open mind, no matter what portfolio you take over, an open mind to listen and understand the issue then I don't see that as a problem.   I think that when ministers become, I suppose, narrow minded and don't take the facts on board that they'll pay for it at the ballot box.

QUESTION:     Do you acknowledge that Kay Patterson was probably out of her depth?

GLASSON:      Kay Patterson was a lovely lady.  I think she was too nice for the portfolio.  I don't think she was necessarily that effective around the cabinet table and that's not a criticism of her in that area, but I think that, you know, I think you need someone that's very high profile that actually will sit up and argue hard and I think that, you know, Kay Patterson, as I said, did a good job but I think the portfolio is a huge one and I think it was very tough to ...

QUESTION:     Do you see Abbott as being a patients' advocate and therefore by definition if he does that he'll be your advocate as well?

GLASSON:      Yes, I say that Tony Abbot - this is not about doctors, it's not about politicians it's about patients. 

If we put the patients first then 99% of the time we'll get it right, but forget about the politics and leaving that aside, what are the health needs of the Australian community.  Given the fact that we're all aging, our needs are becoming greater, the medical service is getting more expensive and [inaudible] larger.   So you've got to take all that on board, so I think that in reality if we do that we'll get the right outcome.

QUESTION:     Tony Abbott's inheriting something that's essentially broken [inaudible] to mend it?

GLASSON:      You're right.  The system is broken and it's been broken the last four or five years.  Absolutely, I'd like to work with Tony Abbott in a constructive way and I think I'd like to point out to him some of the areas that I think the reforms can take place quite quickly to have an impact and essentially I think if we can work constructively that will be in the interests of the patients of Australia and that is essentially what it's all about.

QUESTION:     [Inaudible]   reform take place quickly?

GLASSON:      Well first and foremost I think we have to address indemnity and I think all we have to do there is to signal to the medical profession that the Government acknowledges the problems and the Government acknowledges this is a community problem not a doctors problem and I think taking on some of the reforms that we're suggesting is that area, even acknowledging our pay system is flawed, I think would send a clear signal to the doctors out there that they're serious about it and essentially these doctors will withhold any decision to retire out of practice.

QUESTION:     [Inaudible] Tony Abbott has been brought in to try and drag you into line.

GLASSON:      Well I don't think it's a matter of dragging us into line.  I think the rally is that doctors are not going to suddenly go out on strike.  Doctors are just leaving the system, and if Tony Abbot sort of takes on I suppose an aggressive stance and tries to wield a stick over the doctors then they'll just simply retire out of the system, or what they're doing - a lot of them are going overseas, and I think there's been more and more doctors move out of Australia to places like England and Canada. 

The older doctors will simply retire from the system and a lot of our younger females, specialists and general practitioners are just simply saying it's not worth and they're simply not working, they're just stopping practice.

QUESTION:     Will you be seeking a meeting with [inaudible] shortly?

GLASSON:      Well I just spoke with my CEO in Canberra now and I will send a letter on to Tony today congratulating him on his appointment and trying to organise a meeting with him within the next week.

Thank you very much.

Ends