OÖG Supervisory Board

Special meeting for President who was in Spain

Peter Binder (SPÖ) is not just making friends in the health holding company.

(Bild: MecGreenie)

At the Supervisory Board meeting of OÖ Gesundheitsholding, someone who usually has something to say on this topic was absent: Peter Binder (SPÖ), the Third President of the Upper Austrian Parliament, was in Barcelona tasting wine while the plenary was dealing with sensitive issues. Now a special session is needed.

One thing is certain: Peter Binder, Third President of the Upper Austrian Parliament and member of the Supervisory Board of Oberösterreichische Gesundheitsholding (OÖG), is probably the biggest critic of many processes in the (deep black) Upper Austrian healthcare system. And he also gets plenty of opportunity to ask pointed questions. One example is the case of two dead patients at Kirchdorf Hospital, where an honorable senior physician was dismissed immediately after the allegations became known. The anaesthetist is accused of having helped the two patients to die.

"Without him, there would be no control"
Binder is not afraid to attack other grievances. For example, he identifies massive problems with financial structures, equipment and staff selection in hospitals. The fact that he is not popular with his political opponents - mainly the ÖVP - is in the nature of things and part of the job. Although many (including blue and green parties) say: "Without him, there would be no control in this huge state enterprise. He is the only critical spirit on the supervisory board of the hospital holding company." All state hospitals are united in the OÖG, the political supervision is carried out by health officer Christine Haberlander (ÖVP), who often clashes with "President Binder" in the state parliament.

Traveling with the state parliament presidency
However, there is one point that the Blacks, Greens and Blues hold against him. In the run-up to the Supervisory Board meeting, he sent questions by e-mail, which were also made public. He was not present at the meeting itself. He was traveling with the presidency of the provincial parliament in Barcelona. Just as they were discussing Kirchdorf and Co. in Linz, a wine tasting was on the agenda in Spain. Binder's absence now makes a special session necessary.