FED: Wooldridge launches personal attack on Shepherd

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-1999
FED: Wooldridge launches personal attack on Shepherd

CANBERRA, Aug 22 AAP - Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge today launched an
extraordinary personal attack on Australian Medical Association (AMA) leadership challenger
Bruce Shepherd, accusing him of being out of touch with the people.

AMA members last week voted 7,078 to 4,124 to reject a motion by Dr Shepherd, a former
president, to sack the association's leadership over its negotiations with the federal
government on private health care.

Dr Wooldridge described as "paranoid rubbish" Dr Shepherd's claims that he was leading
Australia down the path to a nationalised health system.

"What I've tried to do is make better health care," he said on the Ten Network.

"Dr Shepherd won't like some of those things but as an extraordinarily wealthy North Shore
orthopaedic surgeon, he wouldn't care much about doctors in the country, he wouldn't worry
much about the gaps for patients. I do."

AAP mfh/bm

KEYWORD: AMA WOOLDRIDGE

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