Dr Pauline Wilson AM who died recently in Darwin was involved in an interesting case involving outspoken activist doctor , Philip Nitschke , who later became internationally known for his euthanasia advocacy .
For many years she was the Royal Darwin Hospital medical superintendent and became a key player in the whistleblower episode which resulted in a Senate inquiry into a claim that Dr Nitschke had suffered possible penalty or injury as the result of having been a witness before the Standing Committee on Industry, Science, Technology , Transport , Communications and Infrastracture, resulting in contempt of the committee.
Briefly, in 1993 , he got into hot water. Speaking for the Medical Association for the Prevention of War , during the visit of the USS Houston to Darwin , he said the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) could not cope with a nuclear accident, his views said to have caused great disquiet to senior management .The Senate report said he had been " vigorously " reminded of the guidelines governing all public servants .
However, the NT Health Department acknowledged inadequacies in the Royal Darwin Hospital protocols for dealing with nuclear ship visits and Dr Nitschke's contribution .
Later , giving a lecture sponsored by the NT Branch of the Public Health Association , entitled Public health and private conscience : whistleblowing and its impact on health, given to the Menzies School of Health Research, he again mentioned the RDH nuclear protocols and discussed the needle exchange situation .
An ABC radio interview upset the NT Minister for Health and Community Services , Mike Reed , of Katherine, who supported the RDH needle exchange and said the doctor seemed unable to come to grips with the fact that public health policy was not set by him but by the NT Government and the Health and Community Services Department . If he could not cope with this fact of life , he could go . Dr Wilson asked Dr Nitschke for a written explanation , which she subsequently accepted .
The explanation was supplemented by a letter from the Public Health Association NT branch , outlining the circumstances of the lecture and expressing disappointment that RDH had started an investigation of the doctor. A proposal by some within hospital management to discipline Dr Nitschke by failing to conduct a first round interview for renewal of a six month contract did not go ahead. However , life was made difficult for him , he departed in 1994 . The committee failed to find that there had been any contempt due to Dr Nitschke having given evidence before it .
Later , giving a lecture sponsored by the NT Branch of the Public Health Association , entitled Public health and private conscience : whistleblowing and its impact on health, given to the Menzies School of Health Research, he again mentioned the RDH nuclear protocols and discussed the needle exchange situation .
An ABC radio interview upset the NT Minister for Health and Community Services , Mike Reed , of Katherine, who supported the RDH needle exchange and said the doctor seemed unable to come to grips with the fact that public health policy was not set by him but by the NT Government and the Health and Community Services Department . If he could not cope with this fact of life , he could go . Dr Wilson asked Dr Nitschke for a written explanation , which she subsequently accepted .
The explanation was supplemented by a letter from the Public Health Association NT branch , outlining the circumstances of the lecture and expressing disappointment that RDH had started an investigation of the doctor. A proposal by some within hospital management to discipline Dr Nitschke by failing to conduct a first round interview for renewal of a six month contract did not go ahead. However , life was made difficult for him , he departed in 1994 . The committee failed to find that there had been any contempt due to Dr Nitschke having given evidence before it .
It went on to say that it would be especially worthwhile if a remedy could follow " from those who have punished Dr Nitschke for exercising what should be his right as a citizen , as a representative of a community organisation and as an informed professional to state publicly his medical opinions ."
NEXT: Little Darwin's sometimes smelly connection with Dr Wilson's champion wayward dog .
