Barwon Health drawn into ‘fake posts’ probe

BARWON Health, already facing bed and surgery reductions from Gillard Government funding cuts, has been embroiled in a pro-Labor fake online messages scandal.
Labor-friendly comments posted with the federal parliamentary computer network about Barwon Health are under investigation by Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS).
The investigation also covers comments from the network about Colac Area Health, Bulla Dairy Foods and other organisations.
At least nine false names were reportedly used on the one computer under the guises of employees at the various organisations.
Liberal senator Michael Ronaldson believed “political operatives” in parliament were “secretly campaigning’’ for the federal seat of Corangamite.
Labor’s Darren Cheeseman holds Corangamite with Australia’s narrowest federal margin.
“The Department of Parliamentary Services has indicated that, in some cases, the usage by individuals is clear,” Senator Ronaldson told the Independent this week.
“The department has taken on notice and will report back to the committee what the protocol will be if the site is identified as a site that potentially belongs to a member or a senator or their office.”
Mr Cheeseman had not returned the Independent’s repeated calls for comment when the paper went to press.
The fake online message story emerged in the Colac Herald last week, prompting Mr Ronaldson to attack the Gillard Government’s recent health cuts.
Barwon Health is closing 24 beds and its elective surgery waiting times will blow out by 100 per cent. Colac Area Health has been forced to close its emergency department at night, prompting community outrage.
DPS head Carol Mills told a parliamentary committee any offending staff member would present a “code of conduct issue”.
“If it was identified as a site that potentially belongs to a member or a senator or their office, we would have to look at that separately,’’ she said.
The investigation is expected to report next week.