Liz Hayes is usually the one asking the interview questions.
But following the untimely in-hospital death of her father, Bryan Ryan, the 60 Minutes reporter is turning the tables in an effort to fight for better rural health services and hospitals.
WATCH BELOW: Liz Hayes reports on her father’s death on 60 Minutes
In response to the recent NSW Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into the state of regional hospitals, the veteran TV journalist decided to open up about her own personal connection to the health crisis, revealing that her father’s 2019 death at a regional hospital could have been preventable.
Speaking on ABC’s Radio National, Liz, 65, explained that her dad was recovering from pneumonia when things went tragically wrong.
“[He] went into a private hospital to recuperate, really. And in that time, he didn’t receive any of his medication for strokes. And that’s what happened, he had a stroke,” Liz revealed.
This story was among hundreds of evidence submissions considered during the 15 public hearings – with the inquiry last week handing down 44 recommendations for the state’s regional hospital system.
“This inquiry was harrowing, but it will be even more so if the recommendations to address the appalling state of rural health are not acted upon by governments,” Liz posted on Twitter in response to the inquiry outcome.
In her radio interview, Liz continued her crusade by expressly calling out the state and federal health ministers and urging them to “sort this out” sooner rather than later.
Earlier this month, Liz paid tribute to her dad on Instagram, describing him as her “rock”.
“I hope that the inquiry will bring change. People in the country matter. Their health matters,” Liz concluded.
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