9 April 2009

It was a nice day for a walk in the park yesterday... wasn't it?

| johnboy
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The Liberal’s Jeremy Hanson is making some big claims about his opposite number Katy Gallagher’s work ethic:

    “Yesterday Ms Gallagher failed to attend an ACT Health Organ and Tissue Donation Seminar despite being listed as the keynote speaker. Instead she was out in her tracksuit for an afternoon walk.

    “ACT Health staff were clearly embarrassed and had no explanation for her failure to attend the seminar. The Acting ACT Chief Health Officer was forced to make up excuses for her absence.

    “On the way to the seminar I was astounded to see her dressed in a tracksuit laughing and joking as she headed for a walk with some of her staff.

    “This is further evidence that she is unable to balance her Treasury and Health portfolios, as well as her recreational activities.

Personally given a choice between going for a walk yesterday or attending a Health Organ and Tissue Donation Seminar I think I’d choose the sunshine. On the other hand I’m not the Minister for Health and don’t much want to be.

Given a choice on a sunny autumn afternoon I would...

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outnotdown said :

As for Jeremy Hanson – what the hell has he actually done except make some very predictable opposition comments for his portfolios. An egotist with a very average army career behind him now trying to play it out in politics

Good Morning Minister!

As for Jeremy Hanson – what the hell has he actually done except make some very predictable opposition comments for his portfolios. An egotist with a very average army career behind him now trying to play it out in politics

Yeah Ian, I know it’s a radical concept.

It’s much easier to blame the cleaners.

Being the Minister responsible means you are responsible for the mistakes

Whoa! Hold on there, this is an extremely novel and subversive concept in Australian politics over the last 10-20 years.

RayP, I doubt she was embarassed, even if it was her mistake. This government is unembarassable.

Actually dvaey I think Katy is ultimately responsible.

That might seem hard and unreasonable and onerous but I think that’s what it means to be the “Minister” responsible for…

I think it’s like being the captain of a ship or the manager of a business.

She is utlimately responsible for ensuring that her staff work effectively to do whatever they need to do and if mistakes are made then that is her responsibility.

It is her responsibility to organise and supervise her staff so that they don’t make mistakes.

I think that’s the difference between being a “Minister” and being an innocent bystander.

Being the Minister responsible means you are responsible for the mistakes as well as the good things.

But mistakes do get made.

If it is a mistake, I do not think it is a hanging offence.

It would be embarrassing and I expect Katy is embarrassed.

monomania said :

deezagood said :

Healthy body, healthy mind?

Unhealthy body. Need a organ transplant. Tough. The minister was out for a walk.

GOLD!

misspris said :

Last time I checked I don’t think the Minister was responsible for organ harvest (and I apologise to my friends who work in that field – I know that word is not a good one).

Nobody thought she was. This committee may well have been considering ways of encouraging organ donation, support for the family of donors etc.

Holden Caulfield10:45 am 09 Apr 09

Pommy bastard said :

mens sana in corpore sano…

GO BLUES!

p1 said :

I’d say a scheduling screw up. Whoever made it, she is ultimately responsible. The fact that she was out for a walk (rather then in some equally boring meeting) just makes it funny.

‘she is ultimately responsible’.. So, did she know that she had this appointment, or was the arrangement made between her secretary and this group without her knowing? I doubt ministers take care of all their own scheduling and accepting/rejecting speaking roles, isnt that what they have staff for? So, if a staff member accepted on her behalf, and failed to pass it on, its hardly her fault. Not that Im saying thats what happened, but Im sure her day is scheduled to the minute, and if someone didnt slot in a speaking time in her schedule, after they promised the organ group, thats hardly her fault. If I told a charity the Rudd-meister would come and talk at their event, and he didnt, would it be his fault? (not the same, I know, but maybe someone other than Katy scheduled it.

Was she given an ice bath after her walk?

Actually the poll reads exactly as it is supposed to.

the poll should have read… If you were the Health Minister, Given a choice on a sunny autumn afternoon I would…

Last time I checked I don’t think the Minister was responsible for organ harvest (and I apologise to my friends who work in that field – I know that word is not a good one).

And it’s not like she did nothing else yesterday. Apparently she was involved in the opening of the new BreastScreen clinic in Phillip.

Pommy bastard9:41 am 09 Apr 09

Sit mens sana in corpore sano…

deezagood said :

Healthy body, healthy mind?

Unhealthy body. Need a organ transplant. Tough. The minister was out for a walk.

I’d say a scheduling screw up. Whoever made it, she is ultimately responsible. The fact that she was out for a walk (rather then in some equally boring meeting) just makes it funny.

Healthy body, healthy mind?

Woody Mann-Caruso9:24 am 09 Apr 09

Busted! Imagine if she’d made an appointment with one of her staff, they accept then not turn up, then say ‘yeah, out for a stroll, beeyatch’.

I wouldn’t begrudge her taking 30 mins out to go for a walk. Fair enough.

However if she accepted the invitation to speak at the seminar and then didn’t show its poor form. More likely explanation is a screwup either in her office or the seminar organisers. Communication failure, anyone?

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