The Labor Palaszczuk Government has a full-blown health crisis on its hands and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has absolutely no plan to fix it.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the Labor Palaszczuk Government has reached a new low.
“There is a NO VACANCY sign on Queensland public hospitals thanks to Annastacia Palaszczuk and her embattled Health Minister Steven Miles,” Ms Frecklington said.
“What we are seeing in South East Queensland today is nothing short of a national embarrassment.
“The cancellation of elective surgery will especially effect people from the South Burnett, many of whom have already been waiting for up to a year or more for their surgery,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“I feel for those who have travelled to Toowoomba, Ipswich or Brisbane for their surgery this week, only to be told it’s been cancelled,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“We already know the wait lists times are blowing out, and now they’re going to have to wait even longer.”
“Instead of fixing our depleted health system, Labor is busy making up excuses.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s priorities are all wrong.
“She has wasted nearly half a million dollars of taxpayers’ money changing a hospital name in Brisbane, instead of fixing the health crisis.
“This is a direct result of poor planning, economic mismanagement and a health Minister who is clearly out of his depth.
“There has been crisis after crisis under the weak leadership of Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“The Premier should show real leadership and immediately sack Mr. Miles – for the sake of Queenslanders.
“Under Labor, hospitals are bursting at the seams, ramping has soared, regional maternity wards shut, and expectant mum’s in the bush have been handed third-world-style DIY birthing kits.”
Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates renewed the LNP’s call for Steven Miles to be sacked.
“As a former Emergency Department nurse, I know how stressed the hardworking doctors, nurses and hospital staff would be trying to fix this mess,” Ms Bates said.
“Queensland deserves a world-class health system and an exceptional Health Minister – instead they’re receiving the exact opposite.
“In late 2011 Labor Premier Anna Bligh referred to Queensland Health as a ‘basket case’ and the same can be said of the Premier and her embattled Health Minister.
“Only the LNP is committed to investing in health, boosting bed numbers and equipping hospitals with the basic resources they’re desperately crying out for.
“Labor has ignored the health system for too long and now we’re paying the price for their neglect and inaction.”
Facts since Palaszczuk became Premier
Despite receiving record funding from the Federal Government - $2.2 billion more this year compared to the last year of the Rudd Labor Government)
