Page 2306 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 29 August 2007
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MS GALLAGHER: I have read all the reports, Mrs Burke. What your media releases show us is that you have not read any of them. You have not read the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report. You have not read the State of our Hospitals report. You have not read the quarterly performance reports that we put out. What you have undertaken over the past month is this: to singularly smear the reputations of health professionals that are running our public hospital system. You have systematically done it. You have done it without substantiation, without any proof.
Mrs Burke: Withdraw that. You know that is not true.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Burke!
MS GALLAGHER: I will not withdraw it, because you are unable to prove any of the allegations. You have smeared reputations, and those people are starting to get angry. I am giving you a warning, Mrs Burke.
Mrs Burke: That is fine. I will stand up for the nurses if you will not.
MS GALLAGHER: Ease up, because reputations will be protected. I spoke to the ANF yesterday, in actual fact.
Mrs Burke: What about Louise Wright’s reputation?
MS GALLAGHER: I have not attacked Louise Wright’s reputation. I spoke to the ANF yesterday, as I do all the time. I speak to the ANF. They were furious that you had linked them to Louise Wright in terms of the allegations you are raising around nurses being sacked for being whistleblowers or raising issues. Don’t you think the union would have a view on that? Don’t you think they would be backing you up? Don’t you think they would be haranguing the government, saying, “You are sacking our members because they are talking about patient safety”? And where are they? Where are they?
Mrs Burke: What about the critical forums? They have backed them up.
MS GALLAGHER: You are talking about two separate issues here. ACT Health has received one critical incident report.
Mrs Burke: Yes. They have been scared off; that is why. You know that.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Direct your comments through the chair.
MS GALLAGHER: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mrs Burke: Yes.
MR SPEAKER: And cease interjecting.
MS GALLAGHER: ACT Health has received one critical incident report. I spoke to Calvary health care last week about any incidents or any increases in complaints in
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