Shaun Drummond quits as director-general of Queensland Health after disagreement with minister over whistleblowers

Shaun Drummond has resigned as director-general of Queensland Health just days after facing criticism over a submission to a review on the state's whistleblower laws.

Key points:

The Premier says Shaun Drummond made his own decision to resign

It comes days after he forwarded a recommendation to target health whistleblowers

Whistleblower and patient advocate Beryl Crosby has welcomed the move

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Drummond informed her of his decision to step down in a letter she received yesterday, and that it was his own decision.

"Mr Drummond has done an excellent job as the head of the department," she said.

"Mr Drummond has informed me that it is his intention to step down from his position.

"I thank him for the extraordinary work he has provided to the Queensland government."

Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Drummond indicated when he was appointed to the position last October that he would not stay for the full term. His finishing date will be July 23.

"It's a very, very difficult job and he has served very well in that position," the Premier said.

"He had indicated that he will not be staying on for the full term when he took the job, and we asked him to stay a bit longer and he did, so I thank him for that extension.

"He made an enormous contribution to our state."

In a statement to Queensland Health staff, Mr Drummond said his resignation was a matter he had been considering "for the last few weeks".

"It has been a privilege to be the leader of Queensland Health for the past 18 months, working with such dedicated and skilled Queenslanders," he said.

"I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for all the support you have offered the system, and me. It has truly been a privilege to work with you all and serve Queenslanders."

Mr Drummond also thanked Ms Fentiman and said he "fully supported the minister's plan, which is right for Queensland and right for the health system".

Before his resignation, Mr Drummond insisted the submission to the PID Act review "was absolutely not calling for penalties for those who disclose information".

Minister disagreed with whistleblower law review submission

Mr Drummond's decision comes after a much-criticised Queensland Health submission to a review into the Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Act by retired Supreme Court judge Alan Wilson KC.

The submission – which was put forward by Mr Drummond — called for penalties to be considered for whistleblowers who leak certain information to journalists.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-28/qld-queensland-health-shaun-drummond-resigns/102535022

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs order to allow state employee health coverage for gender-transition surgeries

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed an executive order to nix a ban on coverage of gender-transition surgery for state employees, a move that means state workers' healthcare plans will no longer be barred from covering the controversial procedures.

"The Department of Administration shall remove the Exclusion from the State's healthcare plan as soon as practicable and in compliance with State law," the order declares. The order says that "since 2017, the Plan has excluded coverage for 'gender reassignment surgery.'"

"Our LGBTQ+ community should never have to face hate and discrimination, and I will do everything in my power to fight for full equality," Hobbs said, according to a press release. "The State is leading by example on this issue, and we will continue working until Arizona is a place where every individual can participate equally in our economy and our workforce without fear of discrimination or exclusion."

"State Agencies shall develop and implement policies, as necessary and consistent with State and federal law, to protect LGBTQ+ minors from harmful medical and mental healthcare services related to 'conversion therapy,'" the order reads.

Hobbs, who previously served as Arizona's secretary of state, defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake in the state's 2022 gubernatorial contest.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/arizona-state-employee-transition-surgery

Celebrities demand Big Tech crack down on 'hate, harassment, and malicious anti-LGBTQ disinformation'

A cadre of celebrities is apparently calling upon Big Tech companies to censor content that opposes the LGBT agenda, such as material that rejects the idea that minors should have access to gender-transition measures.

"There has been a massive systemic failure to prohibit hate, harassment, and malicious anti-LGBTQ disinformation on your platforms and it must be addressed," a letter signed by several celebrities demands. "We speak together with one voice to demand that your companies create and enforce stronger content and ad policies to directly confront the content that is causing online and offline harm to transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people.

"Despite the fact that every leading medical and psychological association affirms the safety and necessity of gender affirming healthcare for trans people, including youth, inflammatory disinformation falsely asserting that this healthcare is dangerous is allowed to fester on your platforms because it drives clicks and profit. Trans youth and their families and care providers are being endangered by your negligence, causing many families to flee their homes," the letter claims.

Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Haley Baldwin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Alyssa Milano, Elliot Page, and Demi Lovato are some of the celebrities who signed the letter, which is directed at leaders at Twitter, Meta, YouTube, and TikTok.

The pro-LGBT advocacy groups GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign are behind the letter.

The signers pressed tech giants to take action against content that involves so-called "misgendering," a term that radical leftist gender-ideology proponents use when someone refers to a transgender person according to their biological sex rather than their self-declared gender identity.

"Targeted misgendering and deadnaming of trans and nonbinary people is a widespread mode of hate speech across all platforms, utilized to bully and harass prominent public figures while simultaneously expressing hatred and contempt for trans and non-binary people in general," the letter declares.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/celebrities-social-media-lgbt-crackdown

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