Mr CONLAN - 2008-09-11
Professor Di Brown has attempted to tell you about the nurse staffing crisis at the Royal Darwin Hospital in person, face-to-face, on several occasions. However, on every occasion you have refused to speak to her. You cannot continue to abrogate your responsibility as Minister for Health any longer. Will you now step up to the plate, take responsibility and resign as Health minister of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have never had a conversation with Professor Di Brown on the issues that the member for Greatorex is talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if we are talking about nurses and where the buck stops, I will just refer them to what Yvonne Falckh , who is with the Australian Nursing Federation, said this morning. On ABC radio news at 7 am today, the announcer said:
This is the quote from Yvonne Falckh:
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! The minister has the call.
Dr BURNS: Quoting from Yvonne Falckh:
Madam Speaker, these are the comments by Yvonne Falckh who heads up the Australian Nursing Federation. I meet regularly with Yvonne. We have differences of opinion, and Yvonne is not backward in coming forward to criticise the government. She has reflected the views of the Coroner and she is representing nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital as well.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have never had a conversation with Professor Di Brown on the issues that the member for Greatorex is talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, if we are talking about nurses and where the buck stops, I will just refer them to what Yvonne Falckh , who is with the Australian Nursing Federation, said this morning. On ABC radio news at 7 am today, the announcer said:
- The Nursing Federation’s Yvonne Falckh says it is not acceptable the nursing shortage has not improved, but she has suggested the minister is not at fault.
This is the quote from Yvonne Falckh:
- I do not think it is acceptable …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! The minister has the call.
Dr BURNS: Quoting from Yvonne Falckh:
- I do not think it is acceptable, but I will be looking at the, I will not say the buck stops with the hospital administration because I know they have been directed to act in certain ways from Health House. So I would go as far as to say the buck needs to stop at Health House.
Madam Speaker, these are the comments by Yvonne Falckh who heads up the Australian Nursing Federation. I meet regularly with Yvonne. We have differences of opinion, and Yvonne is not backward in coming forward to criticise the government. She has reflected the views of the Coroner and she is representing nurses at Royal Darwin Hospital as well.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016