Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne has defended the government’s decision to appoint former nurses’ union chief Paul Pace as adviser on nursing deployment, describing him as a character who has always worked for what he believed were his union’s best interests.

Mr Pace resigned last month from the MUMN in the wake of a story published by this newspaper which highlighted his poor showing in the election for the union’s council. He said at the time that though he had no proof of it, he got wind of manoeuvres behind his back to oust him from the union.

The newly-appointed adviser was known for his impulsive and quite often militant approach and never shied away from threatening industrial action.

Asked whether he believed Mr Pace to be a divisive character who could cause friction among nurses, Mr Fearne said Mr Pace was someone who always worked for what he believed were the best interests of his union.

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