Watch: Labor Leader’s lightning-fast tour of three hospitals revealed
Labor Leader Chris Minns filmed three Instagram videos across one weekend at three different hospitals – which took just as much time as what he spent talking to workers
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
LABOR Leader Chris Minns spent longer filming Instagram videos than he did inside emergency departments during a weekend social media blitz attacking the government over nurse staffing levels.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that over one weekend in July, Mr Minns spent only two minutes inside hospital emergency departments, and less than four minutes speaking with workers.
He spent just as much time to film and post social media videos to highlight a hospital staffing crisis.
Video obtained by the Telegraph under freedom of information laws shows Mr Minns entering St George Hospital’s Emergency Department without a face mask, in a potential Covid rule breach.
Mr Minns spent less than a minute inside the St George Hospital Emergency Department during the unannounced visit, including the time it took him to put on a face mask provided by the hospital.
The July visit was one of a number of unannounced visits to hospital emergency departments that NSW Health boss Susan Pearce said were disrupting patient care.
Instagram users may have thought that the Labor Leader spent that weekend speaking to frustrated patients and overworked nurses, but it can now be revealed that he spent less than four minutes speaking to people at emergency departments across three visits.
He spent just as much time filming and posting selfie videos for his 6,600 Instagram followers.
The Labor Leader has been citing the visits as evidence that the hospital system is under strain, tweeting in late July: “What I’ve seen in ED’s cannot be ignored”.
On Sunday July 17 – Mr Minns entered St George Hospital’s Emergency Department at 5.37pm without wearing a face mask, appearing to cover his nose and mouth with a corner of his jumper.
He took a face mask from the front desk before speaking to a healthcare worker in the foyer for about 40 seconds and leaving to film a video for social media, according to security camera footage obtained by the Telegraph.
In his video he described the waiting room as “absolutely packed”.
“I just went in and counted, there’s 17 or 18 (people) waiting in the emergency department,” Mr Minns said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard slammed the Labor leader: “If Chris Minns planned to visit a hospital purely for political purposes it defies belief that he would arrive without a mask.
“It defies belief that somebody who wants to be the Premier of the state is prepared to put patients at risk for a partisan juvenile attack.”
Mr Minns’ spokesman noted that the Labor Leader took a mask provided for hospital visits after entering the foyer.
St George was the third hospital Mr Minns visited on that July weekend, following visits to Westmead and Blacktown.
On Saturday July 16, Mr Minns also spent less than a minute standing in Westmead Hospital’s Emergency Department’s foyer, even appearing to take a picture of the waiting room.
Mr Minns walked into the emergency department at 8.21pm before leaving at 8.22pm and filming a video which lasted 55 seconds.
In his Instagram video, Mr Minns said the emergency department was a “full house”.
His first video, published on Friday July 15, was taken after speaking with a small group of people outside Blacktown hospital for three minutes, without going inside.
Mr Minns filmed a video outside Prince of Wales Hospital at 1am the next week before returning to Blacktown Hospital on July 22 posting a video at about 2am.
He also filmed a video at Canterbury hospital at 8.30pm on July 20.
The visits have infuriated NSW Health bureaucrats who said that they were disrupting normal hospital operations.
Mental Health Minister Bronnie Taylor accused Mr Minns of “creeping around” hospitals and filming patients for political gain.
“The Labor Leader has targeted our most vulnerable in his deceitful campaign against our health system,” she said.
“These are the actions of a lurker not a leader.”
In a statement, Mr Minns said: “NSW hospitals and emergency departments have never been under so much pressure – from April to June, 76,117 patients left emergency departments without completing treatment – the highest number on record.
“NSW Labor has a plan to introduce minimum and safe staffing levels in public hospitals, starting with emergency departments – Brad Hazzard should support it.”
Quizzed on Friday morning on whether he wanted to be a “premier” or an ”influencer”, Mr Minns said the answer was obvious.
“I want to be the Premier of NSW,” he told 2GB‘s Ben Fordham.
“I spoke to emergency department nurses in Western Sydney where conditions are unbearable.”
The NSW Labor leader defended his hospital visits, citing he was the “last thing” nurses needed on a busy night where “patient confidentiality” could be compromised.
He also did not want to be mistaken for a patient and further block up triage.
“It’s really important to note that at St George … masks were two metres from the front door. I put one on immediately before speaking to emergency workers,” he said.
“The last thing (the nurse) needs is discussing policy. I didn’t want to add to what was already a (busy situation).”
Mr Minns did not deny his piece-to-camera videos would cease, stating his intent to continue visiting “emergency departments in the run up to the next election.”
Hundreds of cops gather, brace for October 7 protests, vigils
Police officers from across Sydney have gathered in their hundreds for briefings ahead of vigils and protests marking the grim anniversary of Hamas attacks on Israel.
Read more
Jewish community hosts vigil to remember terror victims
An early morning vigil has been held at Bondi Beach on the anniversary of October 7 Hamas Terror attack in Israel. Members of the Jewish community, dignitaries, MPs and survivors were in attendance.
Read more