Listeria FOI request a 'media stunt'
December 23, 2005
ABC News Online
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1537025.htm
The South Australia Opposition says it will use Freedom of Information
(FOI) powers to gain access to State Government documents over the
handling of listeria deaths at Adelaide hospitals.
One man died and a woman is still recovering after contracting listeria,
which has been linked to Conroy's Smallgoods served from the Royal
Adelaide Hospital's kitchen.
Opposition health spokesman Robert Brokenshire says he will use FOI powers
to learn more about why the SA Government delayed informing the public
about the outbreak.
"That's a legal process and the Government I believe will find it very
difficult to hide any documents now we're 'FOI-ing' them," he said.
"We wanted the Government to be upfront from the beginning - they
weren't," he said.
"They haven't answered a lot of questions.
"There was a six week gap from the first reported gap until the last."
But Health Minister John Hill has described the Opposition's move as "a
media stunt".
Mr Hill says if the Opposition wants more information, they should simply
ask him for it.
"If he wants a particular briefing - and he hasn't asked for one as I'm
aware of - we'd provide him with a briefing," he said.
"He really wants to play politics with this. This is about getting his
name in the media."
