These are press releases issued by Jillian Skinner since the March 2007 State election
September 2008
HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING FALLS BY $80 MILLION IN A YEAR UNDER STATE LABOR
A report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare into health funding has found NSW spent $80 million less on health infrastructure than the year before, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Monday 29 September 2008
GLACIAL PACE OF ROYAL NORTH SHORE REDEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS LABOR’S INCOMPETENCE
Six years after announcing Royal North Shore Hospital would be “totally rebuilt”, the State Labor Government has only today got around to choosing a preferred tenderer to actually carry out construction, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Monday 29 September 2008
WILLIAMS SECURES COMMITMENT: NSW LIBERAL/NATIONALS WILL DELIVER FOURTH POD AND ED UPGRADE
The Coalition candidate for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams today secured a commitment from NSW Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Shadow Treasurer Greg Pearce that a NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will start building the Port Macquarie Base Hospital Fourth Pod in its first term of government and deliver the $1 million ED upgrade immediately. Monday 29 September 2008
LIBERAL PLAN FOR RYDE HOSPITAL: UPGRADES TO AGED CARE AND SURGICAL WARDS
Ryde Hospital’s aged care and surgical wards, as well as the coronary care area, will be upgraded under a NSW Liberal/Nationals Government, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Liberal Candidate for Ryde Victor Dominello announced today. Friday 26 September 2008
LABOR HAS DRIVEN HEALTH SYSTEM BROKE: DELLA BOSCA CAN’T PAY HIS BILLS
The State Labor Government has failed to pay at least $114,000 in bills for services provided to the health system, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 26 September 2008
BLUE MOUNTAINS MATERNITY UNIT: CLOSED AGAIN DESPITE LABOR PROMISES
“Congratulations, you won… this won’t happen again.” – Reba Meagher
“The maternity unit is there to stay.” – Phil Koperberg
(Source: Blue Mountains Gazette 3/9/08)
A leaked memo tabled by the NSW Opposition in question time today reveals the Blue Mountains maternity unit has been closed down for the second time this year despite numerous Labor promises that it would remain open, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.Thursday 25 September 2008
STATE LABOR GOVT IGNORES WARNINGS ON PORT MACQUARIE EMERGENCY DEPT UPGRADE: PATIENTS AT RISK
A leaked health document reveals the State Labor Government has ignored a report for five months outlining how patients at Port Macquarie hospital will be put at continued risk of cross-infection and adverse outcomes if the emergency department is not upgraded, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and the Nationals candidate for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said today. Wednesday 24 September 2008
OUT OF HOSPITAL CARE MUST BE PROPERLY MONITORED AND PUBLICLY REPORTED
“We are concerned that NSW Health needs more consistent measures of the quality of care it provides.” – Auditor General (p.3)
Out of hospital care must be properly monitored, and the clinical results publicly reported so the NSW public can see what is really happening in the State’s health system, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 24 September 2008
35th ANNIVERSARY OF RESCUE HELICOPTER SERVICE
On this day 35 years ago, the first training session was held to prepare rescue experts and paramedics for Australia’s first civil rescue helicopter service, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 23 September 2008
NATHAN REES’ ‘BEEF STROGANOFF’ MOMENT: BLACK PANTHER INQUIRY
Nathan Rees claims not to have the ‘time nor the inclination’ to find out how the State Budget got into such a mess, but wants to have an inquiry into the so-called ‘black panther, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 19 September 2008
AMBULANCE STRIKE: LABOR’S STRUNG OFFICERS ALONG BEFORE
Ambulance officers will be hoping further talks next week with Health Minister John Della Bosca and the State Labor Government will actually solve the problems, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 19 September 2008
MORRIS IEMMA: TOOK THE STATE FROM BAD TO WORSE
Morris Iemma’s legacy will be one of taking NSW from bad to worse, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 19 September 2008
MORRIS IEMMA MUST STOP DITHERING AND RESIGN TODAY
Morris Iemma must stop dithering and finally submit his resignation today or confirm he will remain in Parliament until the next election, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 19 September 2008
STATE LABOR GOVERNMENT: IT’S STILL ALL ABOUT MEDIA SPIN INSTEAD OF ACTION
Complaints from Nathan Rees and John Della Bosca about media scrutiny prove nothing has changed within the State Labor Government, whose soul purpose seems to be to avoid negative headlines rather than work for the people of NSW, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Thursday 18 September 2008
THE NEW MODEL MORRIS MINOR:NOW WITH 100% RECYCLED SOUND BYTES
Labor’s latest Premier Nathan Rees has recycled the same tired old lines of his predecessor, confirming that you can change the Premier; but you can’t change Labor, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 17 September 2008
JOHN DELLA BOSCA MUST FINALLY LISTEN AND HEAD OFF AMBULANCE INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Health Minister John Della Bosca must finally start listening to hard working ambulance officers so industrial action slated for the weekend is cancelled, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 16 September 2008
WILLIAMS LOBBIES FOR $1 MILLION UPGRADE OF PORT MACQUARIE BASE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
The Coalition candidate for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams today lobbied NSW Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner to commit to funding a $1 million upgrade of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital Emergency Department if the NSW Liberal/Nationals are elected in 2011. Tuesday 16 September 2008
HOSPITALS FORCED TO STING PATIENTS FOR PARKING FINES BECAUSE OF UNDERFUNDING
Revelations that public hospitals have raised more than $2 million through parking fines shows how desperately underfunded our health system is in NSW, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Monday 15 September 2008
DON’T BELIEVE THE SPIN: LABOR WILL FIGHT RUTHLESSLY IN BY-ELECTIONS
Labor’s claims that the two safest seats in NSW are under threat should be treated with scepticism – it’s the same spin head office has been peddling for years, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Monday 15 September 2008
REPORT CONFIRMS NURSING STAFF AT RISK
The latest report by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has confirmed hospital staff are being placed at significant risk of assault from patients suffering mental illness, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Shadow Minister for Mental Health Greg Aplin said today. Friday 12 September 2008
DELLA BOSCA’S FACT FINDING MISSION LEAVES FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS IN A SPIN
“By the time he returned from ‘media duties’, at least 45 minutes later, most of the doctors and nurses had gone back to their patients.” Dr Cecily Forsyth, Wyong Hospital (SMH 12/9/08)
The farce that was John Della Bosca’s ‘fact finding mission’ to Wyong Hospital on Wednesday highlights that the State Labor Government is still all about media opportunities and spin over substance, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 12 September 2008
DELLA BOSCA AND HEALTH: THE SPIN CYCLE STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN
Health Minister John Della Bosca’s performance on morning radio today signals the Labor spin cycle has started all over again, with Ministers failing to own up to the Government’s problems, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 10 September 2008
REEVES: IT CAN STILL HAPPEN AGAIN
The filing of charges against Dr Graeme Reeves again highlights that incidents of this nature can still happen in the NSW health system because the State Labor Government has failed to make background checks of doctors compulsory by law, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 10 September 2008
REES RUNS FROM RESPONSIBILITY: DOESN’T PICK HIS CABINET BECAUSE OF ‘NIGHTMARE’
“The alternative was me dealing directly with all the people who put their hand up and that was going to be a nightmare. I chose to use the general secretary for that negotiation.” Nathan Rees DT 9/9/08
Nathan Rees has run from his first responsibility as Premier after outsourcing the selection of his own Cabinet to Labor head office, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 9 September
MEMO JOHN DELLA BOSCA: YOU ARE NOT A MINISTER IN A ‘NEW’ GOVERNMENT
“This is about the future, it’s about the future and my role as the health minister and the contribution I can make to this new government.” John Della Bosca AAP
John Della Bosca needs to realise the public simply don’t believe his spin doctor-inspired lines about being Health Minister in a ‘new’ government, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 9 September 2008
AFTER 13 YEARS OF LABOR, HEALTH IS A BASKET CASE: GOOD LUCK DELLA
New Health Minister John Della Bosca has his work cut out for him as the Labor powerbroker attempts to clean up our hospitals after 13 years of Labor mismanagement of the NSW health system, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 9 September 2008
REES GAVE US DESAL, TEBBUTT GAVE US SHABBY SCHOOLS AND DOCS INQUIRY
The Labor Government’s ‘new’ leaders, Nathan Rees and Carmel Tebbutt, have already delivered families and businesses in NSW an expensive white elephant desalination plant and a Department so dysfunctional it’s now the subject of an official inquiry, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today. Friday 5 September 2008
IEMMA MUST DEMOTE REBA MEATHER FOR HER LITANY OF FAILURES
Morris Iemma must demote Reba Meagher in tomorrow’s cabinet reshuffle for her total mismanagement of the health portfolio, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Thursday 4 September 2008
COALITION DEMANDS ANSWERS ON BATHURST HOSPITAL REMEDIATION WORK
Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner, Chair of the Coalition Rural Health Taskforce Jenny Gardiner and The Nationals spokesperson for the Bathurst electorate Rick Colless today toured Bathurst Hospital and demanded Reba Meagher and the Iemma Government immediately commit funds to the hospital’s remediation work. September 4 2008
COALITION DEMANDS ANSWERS ON BATHURST HOSPITAL REMEDIATION WORK
Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner, Chair of the Coalition Rural Health Taskforce Jenny Gardiner and The Nationals spokesperson for the Bathurst electorate Rick Colless today toured Bathurst Hospital and demanded Reba Meagher and the Iemma Government immediately commit funds to the hospital’s remediation work. 4 September 2008
COSTA HAS GUARANTEED HOSPITAL PROJECTS: MEAGHER SHOULD STOP HER BULLYING THREATS
Reba Meagher should stop threatening the Wagga Base Hospital redevelopment, and other health infrastructure projects because Treasurer Michael Costa has already guaranteed they will be funded, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 3 September 2008
AXING OF AMBULANCE RESCUE SERVICES: NO CONSULTATION AND YET ANOTHER BROKEN IEMMA PROMISE
“Firefighters are not replacing ambulance rescue officers or paramedics.” Morris Iemma 21 August 2008
The axing of the Ambulance Rescue Service after Morris Iemma promised it would be retained proves the public cannot trust anything the State Labor Government says, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Wednesday 3 September 2008
REBA MEAGHER’S ARROGANT SPIN ON HOSPITAL PERFORMANCE SHOWS SHE’S UNFIT TO BE MINISTER
Reba Meagher’s attempts to spin the latest hospital performance figures, when her own data shows most major statistics are worse than a year ago, proves she’s unfit to be Health Minister, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Tuesday 2 September 2008
QUEANBEYAN HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT: A GREAT WALL OF SECRECY
Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner MP and Queanbeyan based Liberal MLC Matthew Mason-Cox today visited Queanbeyan Hospital in an effort to find out when the redevelopment will be complete and what services the redeveloped hospital will deliver. Tuesday 2 September 2008
MEAGHER’S IN A MUDDLE: THREATENING PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY FUNDED
The continued threats to hospital projects across NSW by Health Minister Reba Meagher shows how desperate the Iemma Government is to avoid delivering any new infrastructure, regardless of whether they promised it or not, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today. Monday 1 September 2008