At a press conference in her front garden in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne, Ms Skinner said the first she learned of the 20-week-old baby boy’s body that was cremated in error at Royal North Shore hospital in 2012 was in Fairfax Media reports on Saturday morning.

The news follows revelations earlier this week that the same hospital mixed up two babies’ bodies in 2015 and cremated them both, despite one set of parents requesting a burial.

Ms Skinner was already under pressure over a baby gassing tragedy at the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital and a chemotherapy crisis at St Vincent’s Hospital. She said the NSW opposition’s calls for her to step down were expected but she was “not going anywhere”.

“I have hundreds of text messages and emails of support,” she told reporters. Opposition Leader Luke Foley said it was time the health minister stepped down after a number of tragic incidents.

“There is a culture of cover-up,” Mr Foley said.

“Mr (Mike) Baird has to do the right thing and appoint a new health minister,.” The state Labor leader said the public had only come to know of the cases after pursuing estimates hearing this week.

With AAP