Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. I refer the minister to a report that was released yesterday by the Australian Medical Association of Queensland. It identified Townsville Hospital as ‘Queensland’s most under-pressure hospital, with up to 26 people awaiting transfer from the emergency department at any one time’. Since the Prime Minister believes the buck stops with him, when will the government take over the running of the hospital from the incompetent Bligh government?

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for that question. I know that these issues are of concern to the members of Northern Queensland electorates. In previous times, I have been to Townsville and Cairns, where, because of the growing population, there is enormous pressure on the hospitals. However, I might remind the member that the previous government, which he was part of, did not have any facility for infrastructure investment that they would provide to the states and territories to work on these issues.

We have established a health and hospitals infrastructure fund, and we have invited states and territories to put in requests for priority projects. I know that Townsville Hospital is an issue for which the state Labor government—obviously there is an election on—has previously expressed interest in receiving support for. We are going through a process where an independent advisory board makes recommendations to us, and we will assess those and make announcements in due course. I might also remind the member for Herbert that we made a number of election commitments in Townsville, including the establishment of a new GP superclinic. The consultations in Townsville were very well attended. One of the key issues raised was that the establishment of a clinic, appropriately supported, would take pressure off the emergency department of Townsville Hospital. He might also be aware that we committed $750 million to invest in emergency departments across the country. Queensland received $146 million of that funding. Those emergency departments that are under particular pressure in growing communities like Townsville will be receiving that funding. Of course, it might be a matter for a new government, if they still wish to receive our funding. I know that my colleague the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has been told by the Liberal National Party that some of that money would not be wanted. I hope that is not the case in health.

The member might also be aware that we provided funding for additional elective surgery procedures—something that, in Far North Queensland, has been an issue. Queensland committed, for the $27.6 million that we provided them with, to undertake 4,000 extra surgeries. In fact, they were able to carry out 5,928 surgeries, and I know that across Queensland people are very grateful that the Commonwealth government has been prepared to work with the state government to deliver those services. We intend to keep doing that in the provision of investment in our hospitals, in the provision of investment in primary infrastructure and in making sure that our infrastructure fund is used in an appropriate way.