When Queensland won the bid for the 2032 Olympic Games the Leader of the Opposition felt it was very important to listen to Queenslanders about what was important to them.
It was immediately apparent that including Paralympics in his title mattered.
That is why David Crisafulli’s title has from the outset been Shadow Minister for the Olympics and Paralympics, a decision made 12 months ago when Queensland won the bid.
At the time the Premier did not share that view.
In fact, I personally asked the Premier about why she hadn’t included Paralympics in her title during Parliamentary Question Time in October last year.
I also asked the Director-General of Disability Services about the importance of this at Estimates who answered they’d received no feedback.
I find it bizarre that the Premier has only agreed to change her title on a social media post after it became a media issue.
I’m concerned that the Premier refused to listen for a year and once again has only changed her tune because she’s worried about her carefully crafted media image.
Queenslanders deserve better.
Queenslanders can read the documents here
The Opposition has today released months of the Health Minister's official briefing documents, so Queenslanders have access to the same information the Health Minister does.
The briefing documents covering the period from March to June 2022 have exposed the extent of the Queensland Heath Crisis and raised serious questions about what the embattled Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has been telling Queenslanders.
The 95 pages of documents show a damning divide between what information the Health Minister is seeing and what she is telling Queenslanders publicly.
They confirm the anecdotal reports from the staff who've told the Opposition about their frustrations.
The Opposition has promoted open data in government and believe Queenslanders deserve to see the truth about the Queensland Health Crisis in real time.
The briefing documents expose that:
· 66.6 minutes to offload patients at Redland Hospital
· 57.1 minutes to offload patients at Logan Hospital
· 54 minutes to offload patients at Ipswich Hospital
· 50.7 minutes to offload patients at the PA Hospital
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said openness and transparency matters.
“I believe Queenslanders deserve to see this information, not just the Health Minister,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Now that Queenslanders have access to this information, I’m sure they’ll be shocked at the disparity between the information the Health Minister receives and what she says to Queenslanders.
“Yvette D’Ath covered up the severity of the Queensland Health Crisis to save her own political skin.
“We won’t stop fighting for a world class health system and we won’t stop sharing information that Queenslanders deserve to see.
“Our paramedics are fatigued and they’re frustrated from spending hour after hour ramped at our overcrowded hospitals.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the documents exposed the full extent of the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Queenslanders deserve to know the truth,” Ms Bates said.
“Category 1 patients are Queenslanders who need urgent and lifesaving treatment.
“In these scenarios, minutes matter.
“For nearly a week Yvette D’Ath has been missing.
“She has turned her back on paramedics and patients.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is on the frontline.
“My colleagues are working themselves to the brink of exhaustion and morale is at an all-time low.”
Water security is vital.
It’s vital for each and every Queenslander, as we live our daily lives and turn on the tap at home and work, often without thought.
And it’s vital to the success of agriculture, and our rural and regional communities who depend on a stable water supply.
It is pure recklessness from this Labor government that we aren’t seeing a plan for new water infrastructure, at a time our state has already experienced significant population growth.
Because this government has failed to plan, dam operators now need to juggle between maintaining water supply, and making releases to avoid overflowing during a future wet season.
It seems dam is a dirty word for the Labor party, who resort to talking about desalination as a desperate attempt to mask their poor record when it comes to building water infrastructure.
Queenslanders deserve to see a plan for water security, and how the State will meet the needs of a growing population.
We cannot rely on a Water Minister whose only plan is to pray for rain, and do everything he can not to build new dams.
We know before this year’s significant wet season, water restrictions were on the doorstep of South East Queenslanders.
This Government’s failure to ensure adequate water storage is completely reckless.
It’s the Government’s job to plan and build the infrastructure this growing state needs, and as the Shadow Minister I won’t stop pushing this case.
Queenslanders deserve better.
The Palaszczuk Government’s handling of the failures of Queensland’s Forensic Lab has been disgraceful.
The statements made by Annastacia Palaszczuk today are even worse.
Her blind or unwilling reluctance to acknowledge her government’s inaction is utterly bewildering.
The Premier did not listen to victims.
The Premier did not listen to whistleblowers and experts.
The Premier ignored media reports.
The Premier did not listen to the Opposition who has been raising this with her since last year.
The Health Minister said she saw “no benefit whatsoever” for the Commission of Inquiry, that it was “completely unnecessary” and the Opposition was playing “pure politics”.
How many Queenslanders were denied justice? How many criminals walked free while the Palaszczuk Government refused to listen?
Worse, the Premier’s claims a delayed inquiry was a good thing due to the selected reviewer is at best delusional.
Had the Premier at any point already asked Mr Sofronoff KC about his availability?
At the heart of this is a lack of accountability, a refusal to listen and a denial of justice. This is a complete failure of responsibility and leadership by the Palaszczuk Government.
People must be held accountable, victims deserve nothing less. That accountability starts with the Health Minister and the Attorney-General and rests with the Premier.
Every victim, whistleblower and person who wasn’t listen to by the Palaszczuk Government is owed an apology.
Queenslanders deserve better.
Statement by Jarrod Bleijie, Deputy Opposition Leader
The Opposition has been fighting for a full inquiry in the Forensic Services Lab since last year.
At every turn the Palaszczuk Government fought against it.
This is an extremely serious situation that rocks the foundations of Queensland’s justice system.
This is possibly the biggest maladministration since Labor's health payroll bungle, if not bigger.
While the Opposition was fighting for the Commission of Inquiry, the Health Minister said on the 31st of May the Inquiry was:
“...no benefit whatsoever...”
“...completely unnecessary...”
“...pure politics...”
“...a duplication...”
Today’s interim report proves how badly the Health Minister and the Palaszczuk Government handled this.
They were never interested in getting justice for Queenslanders.
How many Queenslanders have been denied justice while they refused to listen?
As a result of today's report, a dark cloud hangs over the justice system in Queensland.
The Opposition will undertake a deep analysis of the interim report this evening and comment further tomorrow.
Patients across South-East Queensland are being forced to wait up to eight hours in the back of an ambulance before getting a hospital bed, in another damning sign the State Government isn’t fixing the Queensland Health crisis.
Alarming new health figures have exposed the shocking state of ambulance ramping wait times, with major hospitals in Brisbane and the Gold Coast among the worst in the state.
The health figures revealed patients experienced:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said it’s further proof the Queensland Health crisis is real.
“This is a dire situation, but the State Government isn’t listening,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Queenslanders lives are on the line.
“The consequences of ramping are affecting Queenslanders who desperately need help – we’ve seen the proof of that in the last few days.
“Paramedics didn’t sign up to sit at an ambulance ramp for an entire shift, while other triple zero calls go unanswered.
“The lack of urgency, compassion and understanding from the Premier and Health Minister shows how out of touch they have become.
“In its third term, the State Government has given up on listening to Queenslanders.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table including more beds, better triaging, releasing data in real-time and giving power back to the frontline staff to make better decisions to improve patient care.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the new health figures are shocking.
“These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet,” Ms Bates said.
“This is your grandparent with a broken hip, or your parent with chest pain.
“Queensland has the worst ambulance ramping in the country, people are dying on the ramps or in the arms of loved ones waiting for an ambulance. Hospital bypass is back and that should concern us all.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is for my colleagues on the frontline.
“They don’t want to sit in the back of an ambulance for eight hours.
“They want to help Queenslanders in their hour of need.
“Queenslanders are dying on the ramp and the Health Minister is showing no compassion or ability to fix the Queensland Health Crisis."
QUEENSLAND HEALTH CRISIS EXPOSED - RAMPING CRISIS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK
Queenslanders died waiting for an ambulance or stuck on a ramp outside a hospital as the crisis engulfing our health system reaches dangerous new levels.
An extraordinary dossier of secret documents released to the LNP under Right to Information expose the true state of our sick health system.
More than 500 pages of Significant Incident Reports conducted by the Queensland Ambulance Service detail the horrific pain and suffering of dozens of Queenslanders across the south-east region who were in desperate need of help in the period between January 2021 and April this year.
The documents expose for the first time the true state of Queensland’s Health Crisis.
Among the shocking findings:
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the cases were horrifying for the families and hard-working paramedics who were victims of poor State Government planning for over half a decade.
“These documents reveal the true state of the Queensland Health Crisis,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Devastatingly, they show that Queenslanders have died because our health system has been overwhelmed. Every one of them is a tragedy.
“After I read these documents I just wanted to go home and hug my kids.
“I cannot comprehend how this can be happening in a modern Queensland.
“This is the most heartbreaking collection of documents I have read. You can feel the trauma in the unanswered calls as loved ones die in the arms of family members. You can feel the frustration of paramedics stuck at the end of a ramp for an entire shift while cries for help go unanswered. You can feel the sense of hopelessness with the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Every single one of these Queenslanders and their families are owed answers by the State Government. It’s hard to fathom how this is happening in Queensland today.
“To know that so many Queenslanders have died in these circumstances and their loved ones have suffered enormous pain as a result of the Queensland Health Crisis is harrowing.
“For two years we have had solutions on the table that the Palaszczuk Government could implement now.
“More beds, better triaging, releasing data in real time and giving power back to the frontline staff to make better decisions to improve patient care is just the start.
“We cannot have a situation in this state where Queenslanders live in fear as the health system collapses around them.
“Enough is enough. No more excuses and no more blame.
“The Palaszczuk Government must listen, and they must act to heal the Queensland Health Crisis now.”
“More beds, better triaging, releasing data in real time and giving power back to the frontline staff to make better decisions to improve patient care is just the start.
“We cannot have a situation in this state where Queenslanders live in fear as the health system collapses around them.
“Enough is enough. No more excuses and no more blame.
“The Palaszczuk Government must listen, and they must act to heal the Queensland Health Crisis now.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said frontline staff were suffering enormous trauma as their calls for the government to act fell on deaf ears.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is for the staff who are doing everything they can to keep our hospitals and ambulances running,” she said.
“Our doctors, nurses, paramedics, and allied healthcare workers are exhausted and deserve so much more respect.
“They need to be able to rely on the system to support them to save lives and right now that’s not happening.
“The entire state is suffering, and the embattled Health Minister doesn’t have a plan to fix it.
“What has the Palaszczuk Government been doing for the last seven years to improve our hospitals?
“We won’t stop fighting for these workers and for better health care for all Queenslanders.”
The Opposition called out Cameron Dick’s renters’ tax as soon as it was announced last year.
It would, as the Opposition said at the time, push up rents for Queenslanders.
We have prosecuted this issue for the best part of a year.
Economists, property industry experts, lawyers and academics are now raising new concerns every day.
During the biggest housing crisis Queensland has ever seen, the last thing that vulnerable Queenslanders need is a government blind to the consequences of this unprecedented tax.
The Palaszczuk Government has failed to comprehensively consult, model and analyse the implications of this tax.
The Palaszczuk Government has failed to listen and now Queenslanders are paying the price.
The government is driving up rents and driving down investment in the middle of a housing crisis. It’s an absurd scenario the Premier and her Treasurer must explain.
Queensland’s most vulnerable will bear the brunt of a government trying to hide a broken budget.
This tax failure highlights the arrogance of this third term Labor government and a budget built on deceit and broken promises.
Today, the Treasurer’s credibility is in tatters.
If the Palaszczuk Government is genuine about today’s round table, it must release the modelling it used to rollout the renters’ tax, assuming it exists at all.
Queenslanders are getting onboard a plan to rename Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project to The Elizabeth Line in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Opposition has launched a petition calling on the State Government to honour Her Majesty’s service in what would be a fitting tribute.
The 10.2 kilometre stretch from Exhibition Station (beside the Royal Queensland Showground) to Dutton Park Station would be renamed The Elizabeth Line.
To mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in May this year, Queen Elizabeth II opened a new underground in London called The Elizabeth Line. It had previously been called the “Crossrail” project.
The Opposition believes renaming Cross River Rail, the state’s first underground rail line, to The Elizabeth Line would be a fitting honour for Elizabeth II’s 70 year reign.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said it would be a respectful tribute to a remarkable Monarch.
“For decades Queenslanders have had a very close affiliation with Her Majesty,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Renaming Cross River Rail to The Elizabeth Line is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Queensland to forever honour her life and legacy.
“Her Majesty’s 70-year reign was defined by her dedication to duty and service and this plan would see her name continue to service our state.
“Queenslanders have shown great respect for the Queen and I am sure they will get onboard and sign the petition so we can make this happen.”
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jarrod Bleijie said Queensland had an opportunity to celebrate the life of her Majesty and recognise her unwavering commitment to the Crown.
“The Queen was much loved and respected by Queenslanders,” Mr Bleijie said.
“On eight occasions Her Majesty visited Queensland and met with locals from Brisbane to Cooktown, Mt Isa and Longreach.
“Her Majesty toured Queensland in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1977, 1988, 2002 and in the aftermath of the 2011 Brisbane floods, where tens of thousands of Queenslanders turned out to see her cruise down the Brisbane River.
“This plan would respectfully honour her Majesty.
“Renaming the project is a magnificent way to remember Queen Elizabeth II.
“It would also be a fantastic opportunity for the Royal Family to come to Queensland and officially open The Elizabeth Line just like the Queen did earlier this year in London.”
Shadow Transport Minister Steve Minnikin said the plan was logical and cost-effective.
“Just like the Elizabeth Line in London, the station names wouldn’t change, and it makes sense to do the same in Brisbane,” Mr Minnikin said.
“We look forward to Queenslanders joining us on the journey and getting onboard to make this happen.”
LINK TO PETITION: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCrisafulliMP
Statement by David Crisafulli, Leader of the Opposition
The world has lost a tower of strength and dignity.
Her Majesty’s unwavering service and dedication to the people were the hallmarks of her historic seven-decade reign.
This great loss will be felt across Queensland, throughout Australia and around the world.
I send my condolences to the Royal Family and join with people everywhere in giving thanks for her extraordinary contribution and life.
The Palaszczuk Government cannot be trusted to fix Queensland’s housing crisis.
The track record of this 3rd term Labor Government speaks for itself.
These are the facts:
The facts speak for themselves.
The Palaszczuk Government cannot be trusted to deliver for Queenslanders.
Queenslanders deserve so much better than this.
Statement by David Crisafulli, Leader of the Opposition
If the Premier won’t host a summit on Queensland’s housing crisis, then I will.
We need solutions now.
The Palaszczuk Government’s inaction over the past seven years speaks for itself.
Queenslanders have rightly had enough.
They deserve so much better from this government.
The Opposition is calling on the State Government to be open and transparent with Queenslanders and release the modelling of its renter’s tax.
The Treasurer must release the modelling he relied upon to hit Queenslanders with another tax.
The cost of living is rising and the housing crisis is worsening. We need to know the real impact this tax is having on Queenslanders.
Shadow Treasurer David Janetzki said the Palaszczuk Government is driving up rent and driving away investment in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
“Ten months ago the State Government announced a land tax which has now been exposed as hitting renters in the hip pocket,” Mr Janetzki said.
“Since then, we haven’t heard any detail or justification from the Treasurer.
“That is why the Opposition is calling on the Palaszczuk Government to release the modelling that the renter’s tax was based on.
“This tax makes no sense and shows a government so desperate to raise revenue that they’re chasing any idea without thinking about how it might affect Queenslanders.
“Cameron Dick has already been caught breaking promises to Queenslanders and now he won’t be upfront about the impact of his renter’s tax.
“Next week, Queensland Parliament will sit and the Treasurer must tell Queenslanders the truth and release the modelling.
“We can’t be driving out investment from Queensland at a time when we need it more than ever.
“We can’t be driving up rents at a time when Queenslanders are struggling to put food on the table.”
At the start of Child Protection Week the Opposition is encouraging the Palaszczuk Government to be open and transparent about the true state of the child safety system in Queensland.
This issue can be confronting but it is really important we are frank about the challenges we are facing because we need real solutions. Young lives are depending on it.
In the last reported 12 months, 53 children died who were known to Child Safety.
If you’re a child known to the child safety system in Queensland, compared to a child outside the system you are:
The number of children in care is growing by the day. At 31 March, the number had swelled to 11,299 children in the care of the state.
While we’ve had 1,546 families step up to be foster carers for the first time, we also lost 1,360 families who gave up being foster carers in the 12 months to 31 March 2022.
As of 4 August, there were 1,660 investigations into the situations of at-risk children not yet finalised in South East Queensland, and 522 of them had been open for over 100 days – missing the department’s own guidelines.
Shadow Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm said she wants children to be safe in our state, but sadly some of our most vulnerable are being left unprotected by the system that should be keeping them safe.
“I’ve spoken to foster carers, parents, staff and ex-staff around our state. They agree our system is broken,” Ms Camm said.
“There is growing evidence children who have been abused are being reunited with their alleged abusers with few questions asked. The number of times I’ve spoken to carers who have reported injuries and evidence of abuse only to be told the situation doesn’t reach the ‘threshold of concern’ is horrifying.
“Foster carers are being treated terribly. They are not heard, not respected, not brought into the conversation and they have little avenue for recourse.
“Even when complaints are raised with the Minister by carers, the Minister refers it back to the office the complaint was made about. Foster carers end up having to sit in the room with the individual their complaint related to, feeling intimidated and powerless.
“The Palaszczuk Government must start listening and prioritising the safety of children.
"The Child Protection Act is there for the sake of the child, not to be used as a shield by the Palaszczuk Government.”
