Dr Kerryn Phelps, AMA President

PHELPS: It's obviously a momentous announcement when a Minister of the Government decides to announce their resignation so soon before a federal election. The AMA has had, I think, an unnecessarily difficult time over the last year, particularly with the Health Minister politically and I'm pleased to say that in the last few months things have become far better and we have a good working relationship with the Minister and the Government now.

It is clear that the Minister will be in the Ministry until the end of this year and we will be looking to work constructively with the Minister until such time as there is a new Health Minister.

REPORTER: Isn't he though a lame duck Minister now?

PHELPS: I think that's a very difficult question to answer but the Minister is in control of the health portfolio until the next election. We will be working constructively with him. The AMA will continue to fight for a better deal for Australia's health system and we will make sure that whoever is the Health Minister after the next election, and the only certainty now is that we will have a new Health Minister after the next election and we will be determined to continue to fight for a better deal for Australia's health system. Sometimes that will put you in conflict with the relevant Minister.

REPORTER: How would you describe his time as Minister?

PHELPS: I think that there have been ups and downs. The AMA has been very strongly supportive of the measures to increase private health insurance numbers. We've been very strongly supportive of measures to improve the rates of immunisation in this country. We've agreed on the stance on boxing, for example. We have agreed on the need for greater attention to mental health and to diabetes.

We have come adrift on a number of other issues but we seem to be sorting our way through those now.

REPORTER: How would you sum up his performance as Health Minister?

PHELPS: I think that I've answered that question but we've had our ups and downs with the Minister and currently we're working very well with him on a range of issues.

REPORTER: Do you expect that your relationship with the next Minister will improve? You haven't had the greatest relationship with Wooldridge although, as you said, it has improved recently.

PHELPS: It has been a very difficult relationship with the Minister until the last few months and I'm pleased to say that we are now working very well and will continue to do so until the next Health Minister comes into power.

The AMA will continue to fight for a better deal for the health system. Sometimes that brings you into conflict with the relevant Minister.

REPORTER: Is there any feelings of relief on your part, given what the relationship has been like at times?

PHELPS: If you'd asked me that question a few months ago I would have said absolutely but I think now where the relationship is actually working very well, we're working well with the Department, we're working well with the Minister's office and the rest of government then really, it's a matter of the AMA being determined, as always, to work well with whichever Minister is in charge of that portfolio.

REPORTER: Did you expect it? Did you have any feelings this might happen?

PHELPS: I had a few hints that the Minister would not be around in politics forever but I certainly wasn't expecting it today.

REPORTER: Do you accept it was purely personal? There was no politics in his decision to go?

PHELPS: I couldn't speculate on his reasons for leaving at this time.

REPORTER: Can you describe the difficult times?

PHELPS: He indicated to me when I had lunch with him last week, a far more low key lunch than the one in June, I have to say, he indicated to me that politics would not be his last career.

REPORTER: How would you sum up at the most difficult times, what it was like?

PHELPS: At the most difficult times it was mind-numbingly frustrating, being completely locked out of discussions and not being able to put the point of doctors forward when that was such a necessary way of negotiating for an improved health system.

I think at its best we worked very well together.

REPORTER: So what can you achieve in the next few short months before the election if, as you say, you've still got a working relationship with him?

PHELPS: The AMA has published a number of key issues for the election and we will be fighting to make sure that all political parties acknowledge the importance of health at the next election.

We will be looking for a better deal for our public hospitals, for aged care, for general practice and for the patients generally of Australia.

REPORTER: But there are no more policy issues that you and he can progress together?

PHELPS: I certainly think that the Health Minister will be intricately involved in - let me put that a different way.

I certainly feel that the Health Minister will be very much involved in the formulation of health policy as we reach the election date and we will be working with all major parties in the lead-up to the election to make sure that the medical profession is heard in terms of the development of policy in the health area before the next election.

REPORTER: Should he have gone to the back bench?

PHELPS: I don't think it's up to me to say what he should or should not have done. That's really a decision for his career and for what he wants to achieve.

REPORTER: Did he mention his family at the lunch?

PHELPS: Yes, we did talk about his family at that lunch and he indicated some private thoughts about that which are not for public discussion.

REPORTER: What kind of legacy do you think he will leave as the Health Minister?

PHELPS: I don't think he's left yet and I think that's a question for the end of Dr Wooldridge's portfolio. We still have several months to go. There is still much to achieve and a lot that can be done within the next few months and we're going to be working as hard as we can to make sure that the issues important to the Australian public and the health system generally are heard by our politicians and are reflected in health policy.

REPORTER: And what about his successor? Would Brendan Nelson make a good choice?

PHELPS: Really, that's up to the Prime Minister and I don't think that's for anyone to speculate. We will work constructively with whoever is the Health Minister after the next election, whether that is Coalition or Labor.

REPORTER: Surely the AMA would prefer somebody?

UNIDENTIFIED: Who's got a medical degree.

PHELPS: Do you want me to add something to that?

The AMA is very happy to work with whoever the Prime Minister of the time decides is the right Health Minister. Clearly, they want to see somebody who has very much an interest in the health system and has the benefit of Australia's patients at heart.

REPORTER: Are you happy to see him go? That's the only question I've got. Are you happy to see him go?

PHELPS: If you'd asked me that question a few months ago I might have said yes but we are working so well with the Minister now that I would be happy to work constructively with whoever is in that portfolio, now or in the future.

REPORTER: Are you sorry to see him go?

PHELPS: As I said, if you'd asked me that question a few months ago you'd have had a different answer but we've had a much better relationship since the celebrated d tente and now I'm happy to work with whichever Minister is in power.

REPORTER: Did he mention what career he might be going to, at this lunch?

PHELPS: No, no, in the private sector, that's all he said.

Ends