The NSW government will outlaw public-private partnerships in acute care hospitals following the death of two-year-old Joe Massa at Northern Beaches Hospital.
The incident revealed critical failures in emergency treatment.
Health Minister Ryan Park announced “Joe’s Law” on Thursday, banning private involvement in hospitals that provide emergency, surgical, and inpatient services. It will also block future governments from entering similar deals that reduce public control of healthcare.
“Joe’s Law will mean that public hospitals which provide services such as emergency, surgical and inpatient services, will be protected under this government and from any future government that wishes to enter into such partnerships with private providers,” Park said.
The move follows a scathing investigation into Joe’s death in September, which found that staff failed to triage him appropriately or respond to urgent warnings from doctors and his parents. The review determined his deteriorating condition—marked by a dangerously high heart rate—might have been treated earlier with appropriate care.
“This reform honours the legacy of Joe Massa and protects our hospitals from private control now and into the future,” Park said.
Northern Beaches Hospital, operated by private company Healthscope, has been controversial since opening in 2018. Promoted as a flagship public-private project under the former Coalition government, the $2.14 billion facility quickly drew backlash over fears that profit was being placed above patient safety.
Staff shortages, equipment failures, and industrial disputes marred the hospital’s opening. In response, the health minister, Brad Hazzard, scrapped plans for five additional privately operated regional hospitals.
A later parliamentary inquiry recommended ending the use of public-private models in healthcare due to persistent concerns about quality, accountability, and oversight.
Joe Massa’s death has become the turning point in a broader debate about the role of private providers in the public health system.
With “Joe’s Law,” the NSW government draws a clear line: acute hospital care must remain in public hands.
“What we are doing today is to deliver further protection of our hospitals – honouring the memory and legacy of toddler Joe Massa,” Park said.
