HEALTH MINISTER ADMITS TO HIDING THE STATE OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM DURING 2024 ACT ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Leanne Castley MLA

Leader of the ACT Liberals

Media Release

20 February 2025

In a stunning revelation, the Health Minister has today admitted her office was briefed about surging demand by Health officials during the election campaign – but chose not to advise colleagues or the general public.

“This is an incredible admission from Rachel Stephen-Smith,” said Canberra Liberals leader Leanne Castley MLA. “She knew the forecasts were wrong before the election but chose to hide this from the voters.”

Amidst intense questioning from Opposition and crossbench Members at an Annual Reports hearing, the Minister admitted that an ACT Health official contacted two staff in her office to discuss health demand on 4 October 2024 – more than two weeks before the election. The Minister also conceded this information was not passed on to Opposition or crossbench Members, or even provided to the community, prior to the election.

“Canberrans deserve a government that acts with integrity and treats voters with respect. Rachel Stephen-Smith’s decision to hide a massive blowout in health demand and spending was wrong,” said Ms Castley. “This conduct shows a willingness to withhold facts that the community should not tolerate from ministers.”

The facts we have learned about this scandal in the last week are:

• The Minister knew ACT Health’s forecasts for zero growth in health demand were wrong at least two weeks before the election.

• The Minister failed to account for the additional costs in the health budget.

• ACT Health thought the surge in health demand was important enough to contact the Minister’s chief of staff during caretaker mode, in the middle of an election campaign.

• The Minister failed to inform Canberrans of the blowout in costs or demand prior to the election, despite ultimately needing an urgent appropriation for an additional $387 million and triggering the largest deficit in Territory history.