A group of Maitland nurses have blamed local mayor Peter Blackmore for having them removed from the Steamfest event at the weekend.
Members of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association had been given approval to set up a stall at Steamfest, but were told to leave because they had breached council’s events policy.
Organisers were upset about a petition being handed out, calling for the proposed Lower Hunter Hospital to be in public ownership rather than a private partnership.
Association general secretary Brett Holmes says he is disappointed union members were denied the opportunity to raise their concerns.
“Our members were told they were too political and that they needed to leave the Steamfest,” he said.
“It really does show where the local mayor may be sitting on this issue.
“We have ongoing concerns that the people of Maitland and surrounds should be serviced by a public hospital, operated by the public sector for the public.”
Mr Holmes says the nurses wanted to inform the community about the issue.
“Clearly we’re unhappy,” he said.
“There seems to be an approach there from the mayor of Maitland, that he wants to shut-down the concerns of our members to keep this out of the public arena.”
Councillor Blackmore has defended his decision to remove the nurses.
“The nurses association were more than willing to be there to promote the cause of trying to attract young people to become nurses in that profession,” he said.
“But certainly not to raise a petition which had been calling about their issue with the state government at the moment.”
Councillor Blackmore says it was a clear breach of the council’s events policy.
“I really believe the majority of people support the nurses industry as a profession, and support nurses in general, but when it comes down to political involvement and campaigning, it is against council policy,” he said.
“I will wear the blame, as I have been by social media, and anybody who disagrees with that.”
Source: ABC