A bit of controversy appears to have erupted in Australia over allegations that elderly cardiac patients in the hospital where Kylie Minogue recently underwent surgery for breast cancer were moved from their beds to make way for the singer, who apparently took over eight rooms. Additionally, the daughter of one of the patients, identified only by the name 'Mandy', told an Aussie radio station about the difficulty she had when trying to visit her sick mother, saying "Firstly, I had to get around a whole heap of black plastic that was floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall. One of the security chaps that had a British accent said to me, 'you can't go there'. I said, 'Yes I can, I've visited my mother here for a week, I'm certainly going to see her tonight.' These guys escorted me back like a criminal."
The hospital has rejected completely claims that the star's security interfered with the care of patients but Health Services Union secretary for the state of Victoria, Jeff Jackson, pointing out that special measures had been implemented to protect Minogue from the media during her stay in hospital (fair enough, surely?), said "this was not the way to go. Critically ill patients who were awaiting surgery should not have been transferred unless their medical conditions required it. Hospital visitors, staff directly caring for Kylie and other staff were subjected to over-zealous minders from Kylie's camp. Staff and visitors suffered difficulties and delays and it disrupted the flow of people through the hospital."