NT Health boss tells AMANT protest ‘not acceptable’ as minister backs out of medical conference

NT health has told the union to rein in medical staff who planned a protest against Health Minister Steve Edgington, leaked emails have revealed, prompting concerns of overreach from the department.

Health Minister Steve Edgington. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

NT health has told the union to rein in protesters unhappy with the government, leaked emails have revealed, prompting concerns of “Orwellian” overreach by the department.

Protests were planned against Health Minister Steve Edgington by doctors concerned about the health impacts of some of the CLP’s crime and alcohol policies.

The protests were timed to coincide with Mr Edgington’s appearance at a national rural medicine conference held in Darwin on Friday, but were cancelled when the minister backed out of speaking at the last minute.

Health Minister Steve Edgington. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Correspondence sent from NT Health boss Chris Hosking, obtained by the NT News, told the Australian Medical Association NT (AMANT) protest action by public health staff was “not acceptable”.

“It has been brought to my attention that a number of NT Health staff and members of your association may be planning on making public comment or other action at the conference, in a stand against the introduction of new government policies,” Mr Hosking said in the October 24 missive.

“This kind of behaviour is not acceptable, as it undermines the integrity of our service delivery and negatively impacts on the reputation of our agency and the Northern Territory more broadly.

“I am calling on you to assist to ensure that our Territory representatives attending the event act with professionalism and integrity.”

In reply, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation NT (ASMOF NT) – a union sharing membership with the AMANT – denied any involvement in organising the protest but defended workers’ rights to express their political views.

Dr Thomas Fowles President ASMOF NT Picture Julianne Osborne

“I do have some concerns with your depiction of this behaviour as ‘unacceptable’,” ASMOF NT president Tom Fowles wrote.

“I believe that NTPS (public service) employees have the right to express their political beliefs and can do so without necessarily breaking NTPS code of conduct.

“Reminding doctors of their responsibilities of employment is entirely justified and supported, but labelling an action as unacceptable prior to it being taken could, at worst, be interpreted as somewhat Orwellian.”

Peta Rutherford Chief Executive Officer RDAA. Photo Steve Pohlner

Rural Doctors’ Association of Australia, one of the organisers of the Rural Medicine Australia conference, said it was normal practice to invite a host state or territory’s health minister to give a brief address at the annual event.

“To be fair to Mr Edgington, we only sent out the invite in the past couple of weeks, [as] because of the election we weren’t sure who the minister would be,” chief executive Peta Rutherford said.

“We received advice on Wednesday that due to competing priorities he was unable to attend.”

Ms Rutherford said federal Assistant Rural Health Minister Emma McBride also cancelled her attendance due to competing priorities.

Mr Edgington said his decision to instead attend a welcome event at parliament on Friday was not related to the planned protest.

“I get invited to a number of functions as the Minister for Health, I need to pick and choose which ones I can get to and fit in with my diary,” he said.

Mr Edgington denied any knowledge of the correspondence between his department head and the union, but said Mr Hosking was “more than entitled to remind all staff that there is a code of conduct in place”.