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Allegations
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The Minister of Health
needs to come clean and explain to the public exactly how the Government
reached a decision to withhold money awarded to second-round claimants in the
Lake Alice case, says National Party Associate Health spokesman responsible
for mental health, Dr Jonathan Coleman. "It is
unacceptable if there was a Government decision made behind closed doors to
hold back money from the claimants," says Dr Coleman. Judge Tom Broadmore has
criticised the Government's 'political'decision to secretly withhold 30% of
the compensation payments from former Lake Alice patients to cover
non-existent 'legal fees'. "Why was this deal
kept secret? The recent judgment awarding a further $35,000 that was found to
have been withheld from final payment to a former patient has major
implications for the 87 other second-round claimants. "It was purely by
chance that claimant Paul Zentveld found out the Government had decided to
keep $35,000 of the money that Sir Rodney Gallen had decided he was due. "The Government
needs to be upfront about how the decision was reached, apologise to the
claimants, and stop dragging the chain in paying them the $3 million that is
rightfully theirs. "Minister Hodgson
needs to front up on this." |
