Shorten apologises to medical clinic

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has responded to claims by a NSW Central Coast medical centre that it was abandoned after being scouted for a media event.

Bill Shorten has apologised to a medical centre on the NSW Central Coast after a Labor campaign event never eventuated.

The Hammond Road Medical Centre in Toukley was under the impression it was hosting the opposition leader and his heath spokeswoman Catherine King last week.

Instead they went to a medical practice in Wyong, where Mr Shorten announced Labor would lift a freeze on indexed Medicare rebates.

George Fermanis, who manages the Hammond Road centre, says the clinic went to great lengths to organise the event, including catering, cancelling bookings and clearing the car park.

They expected to hold the event right up until the 10am start but were left stunned when nobody showed up.

"Nothing happened, not even a phone call or a common courtesy" Mr Fermanis told AAP.

"We are pretty pissed.

"If this is how he (Mr Shorten) feels about general practice and small business maybe he should stay on the other side."

AAP understands the clinic was never confirmed as the final location.

When asked on Wednesday whether he would apologise to the centre, Mr Shorten said the party didn't want to inconvenience anyone.

"But I make no apology for talking about health care for the last seven days," he told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world