Labor refers Health Minister to police over abortion sacking claims

LABOR has asked Tasmania Police to investigate whether Health Minister Michael Ferguson broke the law by revealing a Hobart woman’s private medical information.

LABOR has asked Tasmania Police to investigate whether Health Minister Michael Ferguson broke the law by revealing a Hobart woman’s private medical information.

Angela Williamson is suing Cricket Australia for wrongful dismissal after being sacked for social media posts she made which were critical of government abortion policy.

Health Michael Ferguson is under fire for allegedly disclosing confidential information. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Labor’s Ella Haddad says she will write to Police Commissioner Darren Hine asking for an investigation into whether Mr Ferguson — who is also Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management — has breached the law.

“There are enough question marks hanging over the potential involvement of Michael Ferguson to warrant a full investigation and that’s why today I’ll be referring the matter to Tasmania Police,” she said.

“There are enough question marks hanging over whether or not a minister of the Crown disclosed personal medical information about a Tasmanian citizen to her employer and that’s exactly what we want to get to the bottom of.

“We have sought legal advice and the legal advice that we have tells us that if the minister did disclose personal medical information about the Tasmanian citizen then it may be the case that he has broken the law.”

Mr Ferguson had been asked twice whether he told Mr Cummins about Ms Williamson’s abortion. On neither occasion did he offer a denial.

MORE: NO DENIAL OF ABORTION DISCUSSION

Mr Ferguson and Premier Will Hodgman have both said Mr Ferguson did not disclose any information that was “not already on the public record”.

Both men have also insisted that they did not seek Ms Williamson’s dismissal.