Michelle O’Byrne: Colbeck Must Apologise for Mersey Allegations

The Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, today called on Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck to apologise to staff at the Mersey Community Hospital for allegations that have been shown to be completely baseless.

Ms O’Byrne said Mr Colbeck had attacked the hospital and those who work there by alleging that resources had been misappropriated.

“The Australian National Audit Office has found that there is no evidence to support these allegations.

“This attack was nothing more than a typical Liberal scare campaign motivated by political grandstanding.

“Mr Colbeck ought to man-up and apologise to those hardworking Mersey Community Hospital staff whose reputations he has tried to drag through the mud.

“He was happy to front the media to make his false allegations – he ought to do the same to retract them and apologise for his conduct,” Ms O’Byrne said.

*From the audit report: Over the period that the Commonwealth has owned and funded the MCH, there have been persistent allegations reported in the Tasmanian and national media that Commonwealth funds for the MCH have been used outside the MCH contrary to the terms of the HoA. … The ANAO’s testing of expenditure transaction samples over a four year period found no evidence to indicate that the MCH was using Commonwealth funds outside the HoA requirements in the categories of employee, supplies and pharmaceuticals expenditure, which have been the subject of such allegations.
Michelle O’Byrne Minister for Health