Exclusive: Hazzard releases colleague’s texts over alleged COVID handshake
Health Minister Brad Hazzard says a parliamentary inquiry into an alleged handshake suppressed crucial evidence.Labor’s Greg Donnelly and One Nation MP Mark Latham established the inquiry into whether Hazzard was given special treatment during the pandemic because he was health minister. It called several witnesses, including Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant.
Hazzard was at the event but was ultimately not deemed a close contact, despite claims he shook Marshall’s hand, which the health minister has denied. Hazzard has said the report, due on Thursday, will find the health minister “most likely ... misled the contact tracer and avoided 14 days of mandatory isolation”.However, Hazzard said the committee had “attempted to bury their independent evidence of Adam Marshall’s contemporaneous interview with contact tracers” to suit their political motives.
Hazzard also provided a text message exchange, from June 26 last year, to Donnelly where he asked Marshall to clarify whether the pair had shaken hands and what he told journalists.Marshall said: “I couldn’t find Latham’s tweet so just contacted [Sky News political reporter] Clennel and thejourno and killed it stone dead cold, saying the rumour is untrue and does not reflect my recollection at all. They both seemed disappointed that I killed their stories.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Expiry of COVID funding raises fears of hospital service cutsThe federal government’s National Partnership on COVID-19 Response payments are due to expire on January 1.
Read more »
Doctors warn PCR changes could mean fewer COVID-19 testsDoctors and pathologists say the new referral requirement for PCR testing will disadvantage vulnerable people and leave Australia reliant on inaccurate rapid tests.
Read more »
Australia to move away from ‘COVID exceptionalism’ in 2023 planAustralians will need a doctor’s referral for a PCR test at a private pathology clinic from next year, but will still be able to get tests at state-run clinics and hospitals.
Read more »
'A difficult one': Albanese opens up about second COVID diagnosisThe Prime Minister said he was 'feeling much better' after a 'difficult' few days following his COVID-19 diagnosis but would 'take it a little bit easy' before heading to Canberra after Parliament was recalled.
Read more »
Australia announces major change to COVID testingThe way COVID-19 is going to be dealt with in Australia is set to change, with major changes announced in the federal government’s new 2023 coronavirus management plan. 7NEWS
Read more »
Infectious disease specialist backs new COVID planInfectious disease physician Peter Collignon believes Health Minister Mark Butler has made the right call to wind back COVID-19 provisions amid a rise in case numbers and outbreaks in aged care facilities.
Read more »