Mr BAILEY - 1996-10-10
Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table a report by the Territory's forensic pathologist, Dr Kevin Lee, sent to the chief executive officer of Royal Darwin Hospital, Dr Len Notaris, on 2 July this year.
Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: Listed here is one serious problem after another, caused by the Country Liberal Party administration's under-resourcing of the Forensic Pathology Unit. In this report, Dr Lee says that this section of the department is severely understaffed. Equipment in the unit is outdated, with one of the microscopes being over 20 years old and in poor condition. The photographic equipment is inadequate. The freeze-drier is beyond economical repair. The body lift is frequently unable to lift bodies.
Mr Manzie: I would not believe any of this. He has never been right before.
Mr BAILEY: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Sanderson who, I recall, has previously been health minister. He has just commented that he does not believe any of this because the forensic pathologist has never been right before.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BAILEY: A forensic pathologist has never been right before. What a disgrace! The body lift is unable to lift bodies. What is the pathologist to do? Does he do the pathology on the ground or does he have actually have to attempt to carry the bodies? As members have heard, the bodies are decomposing before even he has a chance to start work on them. The minister is laughing about it. He was the minister responsible for a number of years. Virtually no equipment has been provided in the dissecting room in the last 5 years. There is no security at the Forensic Pathology Unit ...
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Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would you get on with the question, please?
Mr BAILEY: I am.
The unit is accessible from outside by unauthorised personnel. The portable X-ray machine frequently breaks down. There is no accessory equipment in Alice Springs and the forensic pathologist has to carry his equipment ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member is running very close to the mark of having his question ruled out of order. There is room for some preface to a question, but this is too long.
Mr BAILEY: I am responding to an interjection, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no need to.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, my question to the minister is: how has his administration let the state of forensic pathology in the Territory slip into such poor circumstances?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have already answered the question. If the allegations of the honourable member are correct, I am sure they will be contained in a report that I have asked to have provided to me as a matter of urgency. I emphasise again that the workload on the forensic pathologist has come primarily from calls from the police and the lawyers for forensic evidence to assist them in preparing cases.
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Leave granted.
Mr BAILEY: Listed here is one serious problem after another, caused by the Country Liberal Party administration's under-resourcing of the Forensic Pathology Unit. In this report, Dr Lee says that this section of the department is severely understaffed. Equipment in the unit is outdated, with one of the microscopes being over 20 years old and in poor condition. The photographic equipment is inadequate. The freeze-drier is beyond economical repair. The body lift is frequently unable to lift bodies.
Mr Manzie: I would not believe any of this. He has never been right before.
Mr BAILEY: I will pick up the interjection from the member for Sanderson who, I recall, has previously been health minister. He has just commented that he does not believe any of this because the forensic pathologist has never been right before.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BAILEY: A forensic pathologist has never been right before. What a disgrace! The body lift is unable to lift bodies. What is the pathologist to do? Does he do the pathology on the ground or does he have actually have to attempt to carry the bodies? As members have heard, the bodies are decomposing before even he has a chance to start work on them. The minister is laughing about it. He was the minister responsible for a number of years. Virtually no equipment has been provided in the dissecting room in the last 5 years. There is no security at the Forensic Pathology Unit ...
Page 1656
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would you get on with the question, please?
Mr BAILEY: I am.
The unit is accessible from outside by unauthorised personnel. The portable X-ray machine frequently breaks down. There is no accessory equipment in Alice Springs and the forensic pathologist has to carry his equipment ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member is running very close to the mark of having his question ruled out of order. There is room for some preface to a question, but this is too long.
Mr BAILEY: I am responding to an interjection, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: There is no need to.
Mr BAILEY: Mr Speaker, my question to the minister is: how has his administration let the state of forensic pathology in the Territory slip into such poor circumstances?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have already answered the question. If the allegations of the honourable member are correct, I am sure they will be contained in a report that I have asked to have provided to me as a matter of urgency. I emphasise again that the workload on the forensic pathologist has come primarily from calls from the police and the lawyers for forensic evidence to assist them in preparing cases.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016