Dr Kerryn Phelps, AMA President, with Grant Goldman, Radio 2SM
GOLDMAN: Well, the appointment of the former Health Minister, Michael Wooldridge, I thought he'd gone away. Well, no, he's been appointed as a consultant to a doctors' organisation that's apparently angered his old foe, the President of the Australian Medical Association Kerryn Phelps. Of course, there was a problem for those who don't know about it — how could you miss it?. But Dr Wooldridge and Dr Phelps clashed over his refusal to meet demands for a big lift in Medicare rebates for doctors. You will remember Dr Wooldridge on radio, saying that Dr Phelps' only specialist's qualification was in the media. Dr Phelps then threatened to sue him unless he apologises, and of course then in July 2001 he apologised. There was a reconciliation and Dr Phelps dropped the legal action. Now, he's back in the picture. We have Kerryn Phelps on the line. Good morning, Kerryn.
PHELPS: Good morning.
GOLDMAN: I thought you two had kissed and made up.
PHELPS:
GOLDMAN: Someone trying to bring on a cat fight?
PHELPS: Look, I hope not. I hope not. I mean, we've actually been working very well with the College over the last half…
GOLDMAN: This is my information that I've gotten this morning in our research.
PHELPS: Yes, we've been working very well together and let's face it, we have the same objectives, it's just a matter of how we go about them.
GOLDMAN: Luckily, there might be a high road and a low road.
PHELPS: Well, we can hope. We would like to very much support the training and education role of the College because I think that's vitally important. General practice training was actually taken out of the hands of the College by this minister and so…
GOLDMAN: So you could only wonder about what his advice would be then?
PHELPS: Well, indeed. I would certainly like to wait and see what is going to transpire through this appointment, and I think I can speak for many of my GP colleagues when I say we'll be watching this space with interest.
GOLDMAN: Yeah, me too. Okay, thanks for your time.
Ends