Mr CONLAN - 2008-09-10
When you put out your media release on 18 December saying the Territory health system is in good shape, two days after Mrs Winter died after a fall at Royal Darwin Hospital, did you know that the Executive Director of Nursing, Marie Hughes, was stood down after telling Health management that, in respect to the nursing shortages: ‘We’re putting patients at risk and in danger of catastrophes’?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am not sure whether the member for Greatorex is quoting from the Coronial or whether he is adding some of his own interpretations to the Coronial ...
Mr Conlan: Madam Speaker, I have a copy here of the Saturday News Extra, Northern Territory News, 6 September. It says: ‘Ms Hughes told Mr Campos: “We’re putting patients at risk and in danger of catastrophes”. She then told the inquest he said she was being over-dramatic’.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, that is not exactly the way that the question was asked by the member for Greatorex.
I want to stick to the Coronial. The Coroner has made very specific recommendations coming out of his findings and, yes, quite a number of his findings are very adverse for Mr Peter Campos. In fact …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the Coroner has special powers. The Coroner has the resources, the skill and the expertise to mount very detailed examinations and investigations. The evidence is there in relation to these matters. As I have said previously, I accept the Coroner’s findings in their entirety …
Mr Elferink: The Coroner said you were …
Members interjecting.
Mr Elferink: He said you were …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Port Darwin incessantly interrupts the minister.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Opposition members, there have been a lot of interjections. You have asked the minister a very serious question, so allow him to answer the question.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, where the opposition is going to - and they are not going to it directly - is the whole issue of responsibility ...
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Exactly. I am prepared to go there directly instead of going around in circles, like the member for Greatorex. I will stick to what the Coroner said in his findings. If we turn to paragraph 49 of the Coroner’s findings ...
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex’s question was really quite specific. My colleague and everyone else would be very grateful if the minister would answer it. Was he aware, when he issued his media release on 18 September 2006, that Marie Hughes was stood down after telling Health management that, in respect of nursing shortages: ‘We were putting patients at risk and in danger of catastrophes’. Can the minister answer that question?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, that is not a point of order. That is repeating the member’s question.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, once again, the member for Araluen has repeated elements of the question which are not backed up by what the Coroner had to say ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: The direct answer, Madam Speaker, is no.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am not sure whether the member for Greatorex is quoting from the Coronial or whether he is adding some of his own interpretations to the Coronial ...
Mr Conlan: Madam Speaker, I have a copy here of the Saturday News Extra, Northern Territory News, 6 September. It says: ‘Ms Hughes told Mr Campos: “We’re putting patients at risk and in danger of catastrophes”. She then told the inquest he said she was being over-dramatic’.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, that is not exactly the way that the question was asked by the member for Greatorex.
I want to stick to the Coronial. The Coroner has made very specific recommendations coming out of his findings and, yes, quite a number of his findings are very adverse for Mr Peter Campos. In fact …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, the Coroner has special powers. The Coroner has the resources, the skill and the expertise to mount very detailed examinations and investigations. The evidence is there in relation to these matters. As I have said previously, I accept the Coroner’s findings in their entirety …
Mr Elferink: The Coroner said you were …
Members interjecting.
Mr Elferink: He said you were …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Port Darwin incessantly interrupts the minister.
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Opposition members, there have been a lot of interjections. You have asked the minister a very serious question, so allow him to answer the question.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, where the opposition is going to - and they are not going to it directly - is the whole issue of responsibility ...
Members interjecting.
Dr BURNS: Exactly. I am prepared to go there directly instead of going around in circles, like the member for Greatorex. I will stick to what the Coroner said in his findings. If we turn to paragraph 49 of the Coroner’s findings ...
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member for Greatorex’s question was really quite specific. My colleague and everyone else would be very grateful if the minister would answer it. Was he aware, when he issued his media release on 18 September 2006, that Marie Hughes was stood down after telling Health management that, in respect of nursing shortages: ‘We were putting patients at risk and in danger of catastrophes’. Can the minister answer that question?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen, that is not a point of order. That is repeating the member’s question.
Dr BURNS: Madam Speaker, once again, the member for Araluen has repeated elements of the question which are not backed up by what the Coroner had to say ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: The direct answer, Madam Speaker, is no.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016