THE FOURTH ESTATE

In addition to watching, listening and learning about the antics of the northern territory health department from what we and our colleagues see, we have been keeping an eye on the bigger scene by way of becoming avid media followers. 

There are some excellent young journalists at the NT News making good reportage and many seem keen to make a mark before they probably move on to further their careers in the larger population centres. Admittedly, they are being given a lot to play with due to the dysfunction in the health department, but we admire their willingness to go after the stories.

A few days ago, one of the Mister Men bumped into a medical colleague that she had not seen for several years at a cafe in central Darwin. Within moments her old friend was expressing his shock at the bullying stories he'd been reading in the NT News. Followig that we decided to colelct the headlines and will continue to post them below our stories on the main page. It's already a huge collection.

In relation to politics, bullying and the department of health, the following have written well; Ben Smee, Zach Hope, Conor Byrne, Maria Bilias and Jill Poulsen. They are young, hungry hacks writing concise, tight, accurate pieces that pack a punch. Christopher Walsh also deserves a mention for his recent articles in the past few months. Walsh is using Information Act requests to get to the bottom of the murky pond the government - and their mates in the public sector in the NT - wallow in. 

We'll write more about freedom of information soon.

We hope that this team can stick around for another wet season and continue to get the local news stories out that no one else appears to have the courage to write. The department of health have never once issued a denial that we have seen against any of the storiesthat the NT News has written of late.

It's a pity that the responses to the stories from the media office at the department of health have been so monosyllabic and devoid at times, of any sense at all. 

The Mister Men are also impressed with articles written by Bob Gosford in the online blog Crikey. Under the banner 'The Northern Myth' Gosfordhas given balanced and fair exposure to the underbelly of the political and legal fraternity in the territory. We like his calm style. He lets the words of others speak for themselves. 

 

We regularly read the addictive blog written by the team at CARDFIGHTBACKwith a mixture of horror and awe. CFB are a group of teachers and educationalists in the Northern Territory who have evidently become disgusted at the way in which the department of education is run. It's clarion calls for accountability and governance in its trademark industrial language articles are avidly followed and commented upon by its readership. It's a louder style than most but its gets its message out and has reported on several legal successes teachers have had against the DoE. We find it an inspiring and useful resource even for health related topics. Tactics deployed against DoE employees

are disturbingly similar.

 

Why is this? - well, teachers and clinicians are employed under the same Act, under the umbrella of the OCPE and the same legal service SFNT is used. Essentially the employer for both groups is the Commissioner, OCPE and the departmental chief executives answer to him. It's another good reason for health professionals to read CARDFIGHTBACK.

 

Nationally, we read the online news journal Independent Australia. Respected and worthy contributors there include the doctors Leong Ng, Paddy Dewan and Don Kane. They write well referenced and detailed articles with lots of interesting links and we consider all three contributors to be fearless in their desire to see change across the bullying paradigm in the health sector.

We strongly urge all to join HPARA. $25 is nothing in return for the support this organisation gives you if you fall victim to false allegations.  This is a multi disciplnary organisation set up to provide support to victims of false allegations which are used as a weapon to destroy clinicians. 

Recently, the eminent neuro surgeon Charlie Teo agreed to sit on the committee. Here is his 2012 Australia Day address.

HPARA's secretary is Jane Thompson. Read her story here.

Contact HPARA here;  hparacommittee@gmail.com

 

One thing that we feel is missing is a more detailed analysis of what goes on in the department of health.We are certainly not getting that from the management.

If you follow or recommend media outlets, articles or journals to follow, please share and let us know. Our fully encrypted and safe email address is bully@tutamail.com

Thanks

The Mister Men

Email; bully@tutamail.com