Page 3596 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 2010
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individuals felt so let down by the system, by the management—and, it could be inferred, by the minister, who referred to these issues as being mainly related to doctor’s wars; in fact, even yesterday here in the Assembly she was still pushing this line—that they took the last recourse open to them. When all avenues to address these issues were exhausted, they took the last recourse open to them: they took their frustrations to the media—a very brave step for people who wish to remain in Canberra within their profession.
In the Canberra Times of 23 February, Dr Elizabeth Gallagher said she had “raised verbal concerns about harassment with the general manager of the Canberra Hospital in 2007”. She said:
I resigned in 2008. I felt that I could no longer work at the hospital to the best of my ability because I was very concerned about what was going on around me. I was starting to lose sleep …
As Mr Hanson has reminded us, even after these complaints were prominently played out in the media in February—and raised here in the Assembly, as well as the shadow minister for health moving a motion that called on the government to establish a board of inquiry under the Inquiries Act—the minister continued her denial that there were any legitimate concerns. She described these serious complaints made by the obstetricians as internal doctor politics and said that their claims were without substance. Despite the resignation of nine senior professionals, the minister still refused to face the facts that were costing the Canberra community the services of these much-needed professionals. She not only turned a blind eye to these issues, but actually attacked the doctors and their credibility.
What we have seen here is an incredible situation where we have seen quotes from various people about the frustrations that led to them leaving. But the indignity in this whole exercise is further compounded by the amendments from the Greens. Ms Hunter certainly outdoes herself on this one. She calls on:
(a) all Members of this Assembly to respect the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1994; and
(b) the Chief Executive of ACT Health to seek the assistance of the Work Safety Commissioner in ensuring ACT Health has in the medium to long term best-practice policies for preventing against bullying and harassment in ACT Health workplaces.”.
Ms Hunter, you have made it virtually your life work to look after those in need. Where is your compassion for the people who have suffered so much—not only from the bullying that took place but from the lack of protection by the very people who they could turn to? Where is your compassion for those people? It is absolutely incredible that there is so little thought given to the people who have been so badly treated.
All we have received is denials from the minister, when time and time again, within the very reports that we have been looking at, it has been proven that these issues that she dismissed so casually were actually legitimate and required her attention. We have
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