PRIME MINISTER THURSDAY 3. APRiL A19' 8O
From the Press Office, f: S
SUMMARY OF 12.30 NEWS
The Opposition Spokesman on Health, Dr. Blewit vac e ' o
searching enquiry into the Department of Health idiscd'r how
computer error, resulting in overpayment of pharm sts remained
undiscovered for so long. The Minister for Health told Parliament
last night that chemists have been overpaid by the Federal Government
by as much as $ 235 million in the past seven years. Dr. Blewitt
said there was now severe doubt about the Department's ability to
supervise the payments. He said it was unpardonable that the error
had remained undiscovered for so long and he called for much more
searching reviews of pharmacy payments in the future.
Dr. Blewitt
It is quite clear that we need a much more searching enquiry
particularly into the supervisory abilities of the Department of
Health. Because an overpayment of this size of something like
or 60 cents per prescription is of such a nature that I think
it's unpardonable that the Department was not aware at least of
the problem-even if it wasn't clear about the source or the size of
the problem.
The Minister for Health, Mr. MacKellar said today that steps had
been taken to ensure that overpayments to chemists by the Federal
Government did not continue. The error was caused by lack of
testing procedures when the pharmaceutical benefits scheme was
computerised in 1972-73. Mr. MacKellar said the Department of Health
had instituted more testing procedures as computer programmes
were developed. As a result of the Public Service Board Enquiry
which revealed the mistake other Government Departments have been
advised to make sure that they had similar programming checks.
The Attorney General's office has advised the Government that the
overpayment to chemists cannot be recovered by law.
Latest reports from Bristol say the rioters have now dispersed after
police units armed with riot shields moved back into the St. Pauls
area in what the Press Association describes as a massive show of
co-ordinated force. This followed more than 6 hours of rioting by
about 400 young West Indians who went on the rampage through the
predominantly black district burning, looting and fighting police.
The violence began after police raided a club suspected of illegal
dealing in drugs in liquor. 25 police were reported injured but
none seriously.
The French Government has unveiled plans for nuclear power to
reduce the role of oil to 30 per cent of the country's energy needs
by 1990. France currently depends on oil for 56 per cent of its
energy. Under the multi million dollar plan nuclear power will be
expected to provide 30 per cent of energy needs by. 1990 compared
with less than 5 per cent last year. The plan also calls for far
reaching energy saving measures during the next decade in industry,
housing, offices, transportation and electricity. More than $ 15,000
million are to be invested in industry to reduce oil consumption.
The uranium company P an Continental Mining has denied entering into
firm contracts with a Japanese company for the sale of yellow cake
from its Jabaluka deposit. Pan Continental's Chairman, Mr. Grey
in a statement today said the company was well aware it could not
negotiate sales contracts until the Jabaluka project received the
Government approval. Mr. Grey said his company had been very
embarrassed by recent statements attributed to the Japanese company
that it had been given exclusive rights for the sale of Jabaluka
uranium in Japan. Mr. Grey said the Japanese company had been
approved as Pan Continental's sole marketing agent but only if and
when the governments gave the go-ahead for Jabaluka. No sales
contracts could be entered into without this approval.
In response to Iran's demands over the American hostages, President
Carter has given a more forceful pledge that the United States will
be restrained in words and actions as long as progress is being
made to end the crisis. Mr. Jody Powell read a statement the day
after Dr. Bani Sadr had insisted on a formal statement that the US
would refrain from provocation or propaganda against Iran.
Geoff McMullen reports from Washington.
More than half of all school girls in Sydney and Hobart aged from 11
to 16 had either taken up cigarette smoking or had regular smoking
experience according to recent studies. The figures are from
research conducted by Professor Anne Lewis in Tasmania and Dr. Gary
Eggar of the Health Commission of NSW.
Heavy fighting is continuing in Chad and Red Cross workers have been
warned to expect the final battle within 24 hours. The warning
came from the Defence Minister whose forces are battling the
President's forces for control of the capital city.
The NSW Meat Industry Authority has assured consumers that it is
safe to eat smallgoods and meat pies following big seizures of
contaminated buffalo meat. About 75 tonnes of contaminated meat
from the Northern Territory has been seized in NSW over the past
8 months.
Sydney footballers and coaches began their action in the NSW
Supreme Court today over their right to have stories under their
names published in the newspapers.
The British anti royalist M. P. Mr. Willy Hamilton has labelled
Princess Margaret as a wayward woman in his latest attack on the
royal family. 000---