South Australian government says opposition leader should apologise for raising the false claim in parliament
South Australia’s health minister has blasted the state opposition after false claims about a hospital patient’s death disrupted plans for her funeral.
The opposition’s health spokesman, Stephen Wade, claimed in a statement on Wednesday that an elderly patient had died at Noarlunga hospital in Adelaide’s south in “disturbing circumstances”.
Wade said the 86-year-old woman waited for six hours to be transferred to the nearby Flinders medical centre, but the transfer did not occur due to overcrowding at Flinders.
The claims were repeated by the opposition leader, Steven Marshall, in parliamentary question time on Wednesday, amid debate about overcrowding at the state’s emergency departments.
However, the woman’s son told News Corp Australia on Friday that her death had “nothing to do” with overcrowding and her transfer was not viewed as urgent because her condition was stable.
The man, who asked not to be named, said he was told by the coroner’s office on Thursday that he could not bury his mother because her case file had been reopened as a result of Wade’s claims.
After several hours, the woman’s grieving family was told the review had been completed and the funeral could proceed on Friday as planned. “For them to pull this stunt so close to mum’s funeral is just bullshit,” the man said.
In a statement, Wade apologised to the woman’s family for their distress. But the health minister, Jack Snelling, said Marshall should take responsibility for the bungle.
“Steven Marshall raised the issue in parliament, he asked the questions and he needs to stand up and take responsibility,” Snelling said on Friday. “They have caused untold grief to this lady’s family at a time of tragedy and Mr Marshall needs to apologise for that as leader of the Liberal Party.”
Marshall has been contacted for comment.