Media Release

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter addressed a press conference in Cairns today to call upon the Federal Health Minister to intervene and confirm or deny information circulating concerning test results of surgical patients at the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth and whether these tests are cause for grave concern.

Mr Katter said that the head of the AMA in WA had called for testing on all patients who have undergone surgery at the hospital in the past 3 months. This follows fears that hospital instruments have not been properly sterilised by contractors, Serco.

Mr Katter said this afternoon that it was the responsibly of the Federal Health Minister to come out and either clear the name of the company involved or verify the information received as accurate.

“There is no in between for the Minister,” Mr Katter said.

“I must emphasise again that these are unconfirmed reports.”

Mr Katter said that the allegations regarding test results were that:

2500 patients had been tested;

900 had come back with some sort of infection or disease;

325 were deemed incurable diseases; and

130 were HIV positive.

“I quite frankly find these facts very hard to believe, but then again I found the Dr Death story very hard to believe,” Mr Katter said.

“This has come to us through very reputable channels.

“It has come to us as a result of KAP’s continuous opposition to big corporates taking over essential services.

“We have acted with great speed here before the Iron Curtain of coverup comes down as it did in Cairns with the Ebola case.

“The two doctors in Cairns that showed great courage and responsibility in coming forward were both punished by being stood down by the Department of Health, a department with an appalling record of secrecy and cover up.

“The corporation that was running the prisons in WA left a human being to bake to death in the back of a paddy wagon.

“Now we have the most extraordinary allegations being made here.

“We want the Minister to clear the name of this company and put to bed these allegations immediately, or advise that it is an accurate report in which case action needs to be taken immediately.

“We are very fearful that the new Government in Queensland will introduce “Sercos” into Queensland, their interest is profit not people.

“Where lives and liberty are at stake, there is no place for privatisation by big commercial corporations” Mr Katter said.

Serco’s website reports they currently have contracts for services with Southern Queensland Correctional Centre in the Lockyer Valley.

Mr Katter has in his electorate at Mareeba one of the largest prisons in Queensland.