The Finocchiaro CLP Government will follow other states’ lead by mandating that the Darwin Private Hospital operator provide maternity services by law, but the move comes 16 months after the services stopped because the government failed to act on advice that it legislate for it at the time.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced the new laws on Thursday, but could not provide a timeframe for when maternity services would return, while saying private maternity services were “critical”.

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