Waldron attacks McGinty over country health revelations

Author: Terry Waldron
Published on: 04-April-2008

Nationals’ health spokesperson and Member for Wagin Terry Waldron strongly attacked Health Minister Jim McGinty in Parliament this week over the stark revelations by his former Manager of Country Health, citing serious safety concerns and possible dangers that have emerged with the running down of the country health system.

“When such a person as Christine O’Farrell who has managed the WA Country Health Service over the past five years says areas of the service are becoming ‘blatantly bloody unsafe’, we must take notice and we must take action,” Mr Waldron said.

“I have highlighted specific cases and examples of unsafe situations in country WA to the Minister and asked him to take priority action and meet his responsibility as Minister to all West Australians, no matter where they live.”

Mr Waldron stressed that he and The Nationals had been highlighting the very issues raised by Christine O’Farrell over the past few years.

“We have raised many times with the Minister our real concerns at the degeneration of the health services, particularly to inland areas of country WA and warned the Minister of the real dangers,” he said.

“It seems that the Minister either just doesn’t get it, doesn’t understand the dangerous reality of the current situation, or it is simply not his priority.” Mr Waldron again raised his concerns that the Government needed to do more to attract and retain doctors in country communities.

“I admire our local councils and their ratepayers who have gone out on a limb, incurring great costs to provide housing, surgery facilities, salaries and other incentives to ensure their community has a local general practitioner, however this is a responsibility of both Federal and State Governments,” Mr Waldron said.

“Right now the town of Dumbleyung is not able to get even a travelling doctor to visit their town."

“This is not good enough in the 21st  century and the Minister must now take priority action and address such health issues.”

Mr Waldron said he and The Nationals would continue to pursue the Minister on these exposed dangerous situations until action was taken.