Minister who likes to be beside the sea: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 01 Oct 2007: 7.
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Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell yesterday said Ms Meagher's failure to fulfil her promise to live in her own western Sydney electorate of Cabramatta, instead choosing to live in beachside Coogee, went to the core of her character and integrity. "It goes to the issue of how she handles her portfolio, which is: if she says one thing and does another for her electorate, what's she likely to do within the health portfolio?
"The minister made the commitment that she would live in the electorate," he said, "and here we are, it's been revealed without any announcement that again she's living at Coogee."
"[Reba Meagher] has abandoned her constituents and abandoned people working in health," she said. "Meagher is lurching from one crisis to another. Until she deals with them, the crises won't go away. She has repeated her commitment to work with doctors and nurses to improve the system; but she's not.
NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher has been accused of "lurching from one crisis to another" after a week of damaging disclosures about the state's public hospitals and revelations that she lives outside her electorate.
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell yesterday said Ms Meagher's failure to fulfil her promise to live in her own western Sydney electorate of Cabramatta, instead choosing to live in beachside Coogee, went to the core of her character and integrity. "It goes to the issue of how she handles her portfolio, which is: if she says one thing and does another for her electorate, what's she likely to do within the health portfolio?
"The minister made the commitment that she would live in the electorate," he said, "and here we are, it's been revealed without any announcement that again she's living at Coogee."
Sydney's Sunday Telegraph reported Ms Meagher had moved back to Coogee, after promising to live in Cabramatta.
Ms Meagher has endured a week of criticism over conditions in public hospitals after a woman was ignored and miscarried in a hospital toilet at the Royal North Shore Hospital.
Publicity led to several similar complaints and reports that people had been forced to pay for private nurses in public hospitals.
The Government has also denied claims Royal North Shore was underfunded because it was in a Liberal seat.
Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner yesterday described the minister's performance as "unbelievable".
"Reba has abandoned her constituents and abandoned people working in health," she said. "Meagher is lurching from one crisis to another. Until she deals with them, the crises won't go away. She has repeated her commitment to work with doctors and nurses to improve the system; but she's not.
"They are hollow words to get the media off her back. This is how this Government treats all serious issues. They have got away with it for so long they believe their own lies."
Ms Meagher represents the lower socio-economic seat of Cabramatta in Sydney's west but has chosen to live in a luxury unit in the upmarket seaside suburb of Coogee.
When her living arrangements became an issue several years ago, she bought an apartment in her electorate; but two months ago she rented it out and moved back to the beach.
Premier Morris Iemma has defended Ms Meagher, saying he was interested in the work she did for her electorate and not her personal circumstances.
"I was with Reba Meagher in Cabramatta at a festival last Sunday and the feedback I received from the community is that Reba is a strong advocate for local families," he said.
"From my own experience, I know she lobbies strongly for her community."
A spokeswoman for Ms Meagher refused to say how much time she spent in her electorate, beyond saying she was "out there" every week.
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