Morris Inquiry
In response to public discontent over Patel's performance at Bundaberg Base Hospital, the Beattie Government convened the "Bundaberg Hospital Commission of Inquiry". The Inquiry held similar judicial powers to a Royal Commission, and commenced hearings in Brisbane on 23 May 2005. It was led by Anthony Morris, a Queen's Counsel.
On 10 June, Morris released an interim report that was tabled on the same day in State Parliament by Premier Beattie. The report recommended, among other things, that Dr Patel be charged with murder or manslaughter in respect to one patient, with causing "a negligent act causing harm" to another patient, that he also be charged with fraud in relation to his registration at the Medical Board of Queensland to practice medicine and that extradition proceedings should begin. It also recommended changes to the Medical Practitioners Registration Act 2001.
The Morris Inquiry began hearings in Bundaberg on 20 June. Nurses, local Queensland Health administrators and former patients of Dr Patel were all expected to give evidence. Public hearings in Bundaberg concluded on 14 July. The Inquiry resumed public hearings in Brisbane on 25 July and also sat in Townsville from 2 August to 4 August. Evidence was heard in Townsville about an alleged case of medical fraud in which a Russian with forged medical qualifications pretended to be a psychiatrist and practiced for some time at Townsville Hospital.
During the course of the Morris Inquiry, two senior Queensland Health bureaucrats in the Bundaberg region, Darren Keating and Peter Leck, filed an application in the Supreme Court of Queensland calling for the inquiry to be shut down, alleging that Morris had shown apprehended bias against them. On 1 September, Justice Martin Moynihan of the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the applicants, finding that the Commission of Inquiry was contaminated with ostensible bias against Keating and Leck, and that evidence gathered from other witnesses was entangled with the evidence given by Keating and Leck .
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