Mr CONLAN - 2008-09-11
Are you aware that the then Executive Director of Nursing, Professor Di Brown sent a very serious e-mail to Mr Campos about bed block and the dire situation regarding nurse staffing at the Royal Darwin Hospital? Are you also aware that Mr Campos’ reply to Professor Di Brown was: ‘Never put anything in writing’. Is this not just another example of the culture of cover up in the Department of Health?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, once again, it is a valid question that goes to evidence given to the Coronial and associated with that. As has been stated here earlier, and as the Coroner said in his media release …
Ms Carney: It was not. This e-mail was not discussed in the Coronial.
Dr BURNS: … there was one person with adverse criticism in the Coronial, and that was Mr Campos. Madam Speaker, I can only reiterate …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister was specifically asked about whether he knew of the existence of an e-mail from Professor Di Brown to Peter Campos. Will the minister kindly answer, yes or no?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, there is no point of order. The minister has the call.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the direct answer to that question is no.
What I was about to say to finish this answer is that it is important to notice, I have been saying it quite a few times today, that the senior management team within the hospital has changed. Now, at the very top, we have Dr David Ashbridge …
Mr Conlan: Shame, you lot should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. You created this mess, it is a disaster.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: … a very experienced medical officer who has had vast experience …
Mr Elferink: The attitude has not. What are they doing at the Supreme Court?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Port Darwin consistently ignores the standing orders in terms of interruptions.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I will read once more Standing Order 51:
Honourable members, it is common that there should be robust debate in this place, and it certainly would be my position. However, it is important to be able to hear the person who has the call. I would appreciate a lower level of interjections.
Dr BURNS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To repeat, the senior management team within the Department of Health has changed, and it has changed since I have been Minister for Health. Mr Robert Griew has gone. He has been replaced by Dr David Ashbridge ...
Ms Carney: Yes, wow! What do you reckon about that one?
Dr BURNS: The other side is, obviously, attacking public servants. They wanted to attack them during the election campaign. Here is 7 August: ‘CLP leader, Terry Mills, has today vowed to phase out almost 5% of public service jobs over four years as part of a plan to save $50m a year’. That is what they think of the public service, Madam Speaker ...
Mr Elferink: What are you doing about what is happening in your department?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: It comes as no surprise, this bedlam that is coming from opposite. I have much respect for David Ashbridge. I have known him for many years, a long time before I got into politics. I have seen him at work on Aboriginal communities as a doctor. I have seen him at work within the Health Department. I know that he spent some time in Canberra with the Commonwealth Health Department and was highly respected there. The skills that he brings back in terms of Commonwealth funding for health projects, the links that he has with the Commonwealth Health Department, are crucial with now the third phase of the intervention and implementing those very important primary health reforms within the Territory. I will defend David Ashbridge.
Mr Peter Campos has gone, replaced by Mr Peter Beirne, who is a very skilled financial coordinator. We have Dr Len Notaras as the General Manager of Royal Darwin Hospital ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Obviously, from your interjections, you have no respect at all for Dr Len Notaras ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Not only for Dr Notaras’ role during the Bali bombings and …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I will be putting people on warnings in the next half-an-hour.
Dr BURNS: I will finish this answer very soon, Madam Speaker. As I outlined in my reply to the censure debate yesterday, Dr Notaras is square and centre in terms of Australian health care standards. He has a pivotal role, along with Professor Donald, in ensuring quality and safety at Royal Darwin Hospital.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, once again, it is a valid question that goes to evidence given to the Coronial and associated with that. As has been stated here earlier, and as the Coroner said in his media release …
Ms Carney: It was not. This e-mail was not discussed in the Coronial.
Dr BURNS: … there was one person with adverse criticism in the Coronial, and that was Mr Campos. Madam Speaker, I can only reiterate …
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister was specifically asked about whether he knew of the existence of an e-mail from Professor Di Brown to Peter Campos. Will the minister kindly answer, yes or no?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, there is no point of order. The minister has the call.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the direct answer to that question is no.
What I was about to say to finish this answer is that it is important to notice, I have been saying it quite a few times today, that the senior management team within the hospital has changed. Now, at the very top, we have Dr David Ashbridge …
Mr Conlan: Shame, you lot should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. You created this mess, it is a disaster.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: … a very experienced medical officer who has had vast experience …
Mr Elferink: The attitude has not. What are they doing at the Supreme Court?
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Port Darwin consistently ignores the standing orders in terms of interruptions.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I will read once more Standing Order 51:
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Honourable members, it is common that there should be robust debate in this place, and it certainly would be my position. However, it is important to be able to hear the person who has the call. I would appreciate a lower level of interjections.
Dr BURNS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. To repeat, the senior management team within the Department of Health has changed, and it has changed since I have been Minister for Health. Mr Robert Griew has gone. He has been replaced by Dr David Ashbridge ...
Ms Carney: Yes, wow! What do you reckon about that one?
Dr BURNS: The other side is, obviously, attacking public servants. They wanted to attack them during the election campaign. Here is 7 August: ‘CLP leader, Terry Mills, has today vowed to phase out almost 5% of public service jobs over four years as part of a plan to save $50m a year’. That is what they think of the public service, Madam Speaker ...
Mr Elferink: What are you doing about what is happening in your department?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: It comes as no surprise, this bedlam that is coming from opposite. I have much respect for David Ashbridge. I have known him for many years, a long time before I got into politics. I have seen him at work on Aboriginal communities as a doctor. I have seen him at work within the Health Department. I know that he spent some time in Canberra with the Commonwealth Health Department and was highly respected there. The skills that he brings back in terms of Commonwealth funding for health projects, the links that he has with the Commonwealth Health Department, are crucial with now the third phase of the intervention and implementing those very important primary health reforms within the Territory. I will defend David Ashbridge.
Mr Peter Campos has gone, replaced by Mr Peter Beirne, who is a very skilled financial coordinator. We have Dr Len Notaras as the General Manager of Royal Darwin Hospital ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Obviously, from your interjections, you have no respect at all for Dr Len Notaras ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Not only for Dr Notaras’ role during the Bali bombings and …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Honourable members, I will be putting people on warnings in the next half-an-hour.
Dr BURNS: I will finish this answer very soon, Madam Speaker. As I outlined in my reply to the censure debate yesterday, Dr Notaras is square and centre in terms of Australian health care standards. He has a pivotal role, along with Professor Donald, in ensuring quality and safety at Royal Darwin Hospital.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016