Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. With due deference to my Central Queensland colleague the member for Dawson, I ask: is the minister aware of claims of alleged serious malpractice at Mackay Base Hospital? What is the government’s response?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hinkler for his question, and I do appreciate that he is asking it on his own behalf and, in effect, on behalf of the member for Dawson as well. I appreciate that the member for Hinkler has seen at close quarters the human damage that can be inflicted by a secretive and coercive culture in health institutions. When allegations were made of surgical incompetence at Bundaberg Hospital, the whistleblowers were ridiculed and vilified but ultimately vindicated by a royal commission.

Now the member for Dawson has made allegations of serious misconduct at Mackay Base Hospital based on information provided to her by credible health professionals. Today I have written to the Queensland health minister asking him to establish a full, open and independent inquiry into these allegations. The member for Dawson, in two speeches to this House, has claimed that an underqualified surgeon worked at Mackay Base Hospital without supervision, that the hospital knew that this doctor was working without the required supervision, that at least 10 patients had botched operations performed on them by this underqualified surgeon working without proper supervision and that staff complaining about this have been subject to bullying and harassment.

I stress that these are allegations—albeit allegations based on evidence provided by credible people. I do not want to prejudge this matter, but there is a very serious problem when potential misconduct is swept under the carpet by a secretive and coercive health structure. This matter does need to be investigated, and an investigation should not be put off until after the election, if confidence in the Queensland public hospital system is to be maintained. In my letter to the Queensland minister, I have suggested a means by which an inquiry could be expedited. This is a serious matter and it does deserve urgent attention. I table my letter to the Queensland health minister.