Family grateful for media’s work to uncover ’catastrophic failings’
If it wasn’t for the media, the guilt that followed Natasha McMillan after losing her stillborn daughter may have never gone away. But thanks to the Herald Sun — who uncovered a string of avoidable deaths at Bacchus Marsh Hospital — the horrible truth was able to be uncovered and sweeping reforms followed.
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Eloise McMillan was one of 11 babies to suffer avoidable deaths due to “catastrophic failings” at Bacchus Marsh Hospital.
But, without the Herald Sun exposing the Bacchus Marsh baby deaths scandal, her devastated parents Natasha and Ben McMillan, may never have known.
“For four years I blamed myself and carried the guilt of giving birth to a full-term stillborn baby girl,” Ms McMillan said.
“If it wasn’t for the media breaking this unforgivable — or in the words of the government “catastrophic” — event, I may have carried that guilt to my grave.
“The breaking of the news and the eventual meeting with the government may well have taken away the guilt and certainly laid to rest any blame I felt.
“But had the hospital done their job in the first place my baby Eloise would be with me today, as would and also the other babies who needlessly lost their lives.”
Until the Herald Sun’s revealed in October 2015 that suspicions had been r aised over a number of infant deaths at the Bacchus Marsh Hospital, the McMillans and other families had been led to believe their children died unavoidable stillbirths.
More public revelations during months of sustained reporting led authorities to investigate much further and uncover other bungled births, including that of Eloise.
Learning her daughter had died due to staff errors in using a heart monitor brought some closure to Ms McMillan.
But she is even more grateful the exposure pressured authorities to act not only to make Bacchus Marsh safe, but lead to statewide changes to prevent tragedies for other families.
“If not for the media bringing this to the public’s attention then justice may never have been served,” Ms McMillan said.
“Because of the public outcry, brought on by the media, the Bacchus Marsh Hospital is now a safe place to have a baby.
“We, through a VCAT hearing, have learnt that our midwife of more than 30 years experience had the skills of a graduate and many more have been found guilty of incompetence and medical misconduct.
“Quite possibly had the media not broken the news then these midwives and doctors could still be practising and more babies’ lives could have been put at risk.
“Thanks once again to the media for without them I am sure we would not have gained the full truth about the incompetence which happened in the lead up to Eloise’s birth and during her birth.”
REPORTERS FACING JAIL FOR BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
The Lawyer X bombshell that rocked the justice system, the “Take a Stand” campaign that helped spark a royal commission into domestic violence, uncovering the Red Shirts rorts, MP entitlement scams, revelations from the Bombers doping saga, and demanding bail and parole reforms.
As far back as Sir Keith Murdoch’s 1915 refusal to be censored over the Gallipoli quagmire, the 1970 “Declare War on 1034” campaign to cut road deaths and the 1975 Khemlani scandal, which helped end the Whitlam government, the Herald Sun has uncovered and prosecuted issues authorities would prefer remained buried
At The Age, serious questions over money laundering at Crown casino and the Securency bribery conspiracy were revealed, while the ABC disclosed the “Afghan Files”, which lifted the lid on allegations of war crimes.
In June, Federal Police raided the home of Sunday Herald Sun politics editor Annika Smethurst — for revealing proposed powers that would allow the Australian Signals Directorate to spy on Australians for the first time without warrants — and raids on the ABC — over the Afghan Files.
Smethurst and the ABC’s Dan Oakes and Sam Clark could be charged and risk jail if deemed to have breached national security laws, despite their reports being of supreme public interest.
Attorney-General Christian Porter has since floated media “shield” protections that would require his approval for any prosecution of a journalist in relation to national security.
But media groups argue the discretionary shield does not enshrine free press principles and is open to decisions made for political expediency.
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Matt and Robyn Cronin, parents of Patrick Cronin, 19, who was killed in 2016, have fought to close loopholes in Victoria’s one-punch laws.
“It is incredibly important to us that free press be permitted to report on areas of public interest so the general population can be kept informed to be able to form considered opinions,” Mr Cronin said.
“In the 3½ years since Pat was tragically killed by a coward punch we have been well supported by all sectors of the media in getting our message across on the failings of the coward punch sentencing laws in delivering the outcome of a 10 year minimum non parole period as intended by parliament.”