Liberal Mp Makes Complaint Against Health Minister's Office
Back to NewsShadow Health Minister Dr Andrew McDonald today demanded Health Minister Jillian Skinner explain why she is avoiding tough questions on her government\'s industrial relations legislation from nurses and the media.
The Health Minister\'s office uninvited local journalists to her Fairfield Hospital visit on Friday – after it became clear she would be asked about nurses protesting wages cuts outside Smithfield MP Andrew Rohan\'s office that same day.
Mr Rohan\'s office is understood to be making a formal complaint against Ms Skinner\'s office.
"Jillian Skinner must explain why she is trying to hide from the tough questions on the government\'s wages legislation will affect nurses and other allied health staff," Dr McDonald said.
"It is extraordinary a Liberal MP is being forced to make a complaint against the office of his own Health Minister and Deputy Leader because they uninvited his local media to a hospital visit.
"Why didn’t Jillian want to answer questions about what her government\'s legislation will really mean in front of the very people affected by it?
"It is obvious the Health Minister is trying to avoid scrutiny over this unprecedented legislation, just like the Premier attempted to do when he shut down debate on the Bill in the Upper House over the weekend."
Dr McDonald said he wasn’t surprised the Health Minister was trying to hide, given the statistics showing nurses would be earning significantly less each year had the O\'Farrell Bill been implemented 10 years ago.
"Research released last week revealed that had the O\'Farrell laws been introduced 10 years ago, nurses would be more than $12,000 a year worse off right now," Dr McDonald said.
"The O\'Farrell Government\'s workplace laws will also slash the powers of the Industrial Relations Commission, and remove access to an independent umpire for nurses and other public sector workers.
"Never in my time as Parliamentary Secretary for Health did I ever ban journalists from a media visit to a hospital.
"It\'s no wonder Jillian Skinner is uninviting journalists from her media events – these laws will give her government unprecedented power to cut nurse conditions and wages."