August 17, 2015
Mayoral candidate Michael Brown says some recent assertions by South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann are “transparently false”.
In comments to southburnett.com.au on Monday night, Mr Brown said he had phone, diary and email records to back his information up.
Mr Brown’s comments are below:
1. How does Rural Medical Centres Limited have a complete conflict of interest asking about the current status of the private hospital?
This is a complete turnaround from June this year when I was approached by the Council’s Economic Development Manager to draft a proposal on how the services could keep running in the building because Pulse Health was moving out on June 30 and I was told that Council needed something straight away.
I was told by Council and Pulse Health that my surgery was earmarked to go in the now non-functioning Hospital facility.
I offered to assist then with anything I could do to continue specialist services to support the GPs in the area and I continued to offer to help even after I was told that the Mayor and a selection of people that were working on finding a new provider after Pulse Health generously offered the three-month extension to September 30. I have records to prove the accuracy of my information.
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2. My ‘Plan B’ was the very thing that was requested desperately by Council when the exit of Pulse Health was announced as the financial reality of running a private hospital in this local socio-economic climate is not sustainable.
My ‘Plan B’ means that by offering current and more health services, the community is better placed to have its needs addressed. I do not personally benefit from the move into the Hospital building – the South Burnett Community does through the services we can bring which were previously offered under the Private Hospital.
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3. Transparently talking about alternative solutions does not undermine current efforts. It is an economically responsible and business approach to a problem in order to find the best outcome for the ratepayers of the South Burnett Region, of which I have proudly been one for more than 13 years.
For the past almost three years our medical centre has been put at a business disadvantage due to Council not making repairs on 13 Glendon St, which Council owns. Not only are we ratepayers, we are also tenants, so to look for alternative solutions based on factual information is the approach I endorse both as a Mayoral candidate and as a businessman.
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4. I have approached the Mayor privately on several occasions to discuss this, both via the phone and via emails, to which I have received no replies or have been blocked from contacting him. I did go to the rally but felt that it was not the time or place to discuss practical approaches in such an emotive environment.
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5. I am confused as to how talking to me will be to my disadvantage. I see it is to the disadvantage of the residents of the South Burnett as I could be helping the doctors, Council and the residents find an answer to the operation of the hospital building, whilst continuing services that have now almost stopped.
I believe that ignoring me is ignoring the people that I already assist and that we aim to assist with the model of Rural Medical Centres. Currently the lack of information is causing pain and anguish for the people of the South Burnett.
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6. This has nothing to do with political benefit as a Private Hospital, as the Mayor has previously admitted, is not a Council issue therefore not a political issue. This has to do with the health of our South Burnett community.
The fact that I have repeatedly offered to help but have not been able to upsets me. The Mayor states that he will meet with Dr Jonsson-Lear to discuss her concerns, however there are others including me who have had major concerns and he has not discussed these with them or me, instead using the media to attack me personally.”
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