Mitchell & Hinch clash
Derryn Hinch and Neil Mitchell have clashed aggressively on 3AW this afternoon.
The heated debate was over the death of Shaun Wilson-Miller, the 17-year old Melbourne boy who became famous after posting his farewell video on youtube recently.
Shaun died on Saturday at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, and it has been revealed that the double heart transplant recipient was kept waiting in emergency for 17-hours before a bed could be located for him.
Hinch stated on-air that Mitchell was aware of the 17-hour delay, and 'covered it up' to preserve the hospital's "squeaky clean good friday image" and commented on Twitter that Mitchell's manager is the Chairman of the Hospital board.
After hearing Hinch make these comments on his Drive program this afternoon, Mitchell phoned up angrily to remonstrate with Hinch and to dispute the comments. Here is, in part, how the conversation between the two 3AW heavy-weights went:
NM: Hi Derryn, yeah look I'm being provoked reluctantly because this isn't about us, this is about a dead kid and a grieving family, but I….
DH: I'm not provoking it
NM: Well you said I'm responsible for a cover-up and that's bloody offensive, that's not the way I work and you know better than that. Let's put the compassion ahead of the story for a change….
DH: Beg your pardon?
NM: Let's put the compassion ahead of the story, all of us.
DH: Yeah alright Neil, you've had your say (phone hangs up) He's gone, well nice being hung up on"
Hinch later claimed that Shaun's father had told him "this was the first time the Royal Childrens has got it wrong, and over the 17 years of Shaun's life they had been wonderful to Shaun"
You can hear the complete verbal stoush between Neil Mitchell and Derryn Hinch, and Mitchells audio response to Hinch here. No doubt Mitchell's opening break on 3AW tomorrow morning at 8.30 will be worth listening to.