LNP Cashes In On Health Closures And Sackings

Media Release.

 

Shadow Health Minister Jo-Ann Miller says cancelling an event designed to let the LNP organisation cash in on Newman Government health cuts should be the first decision the Premier takes in 2013 if he is serious about running an honest and credible government.

“The Premier’s first decision for 2013 should be to cancel the February 5 event where the LNP wants to charge $200 a head for people to hear how his government plans to gut our public health system, and sell bits off to the private sector,” Mrs Miller said.

“It is extraordinary that the LNP has found a way to turn the government’s mass sackings and savage cuts to frontline services into a cash cow. 

“The Premier’s blueprint for the first half of 2013 contains nothing new and is just a cut and paste of previous promises.

“Most significantly it makes no mention of outsourcing or privatising hospital and health facilities which will be the subject of the LNP event on February 5.

“While the Premier and the Minister for Health Cuts and Closures, Lawrence Springborg, are cutting health services, they are allowing the LNP to profit from their callous decisions by selling tables of 10 at next month’s policy launch at close to $2,000.

“I am sure this will not impress communities that are losing frontline health workers having their hospital and health services closed or scaled down, and losing nursing home beds.

“I am sure people in Moura will be interested to know the LNP sees a chance to make money by selling tickets to hear about a policy that means the loss of the community’s hospital services.

“The same goes for Wynnum and the rest of Brisbane’s southern bayside suburbs that are losing their hospital and nursing home, as well as those on the northside who will see the Eventide Home close.

“If the Premier won’t cancel the LNP fundraiser, then he should at least offer free admission to the nurses and other frontline staff he is sacking in our health system.

“It is an insult to those who have lost or will lose their jobs in hospitals and health services across the state to see the LNP make money out of their misery.

“It is an insult to local communities losing frontline health services,” she said.

Mrs Miller said the refusal of the Newman Government to release the secret second instalment of the Costello Audit’s report indicated 2013 would see the LNP move to sell off as many state assets as possible, with the health system a prime candidate.

“There is no doubt the February 5 event will focus on outsourcing or privatising hospital and health services,” she said.

“That’s why Queenslanders must see the secret second report of the Costello Audit which no doubt recommends the sale of as many state assets as possible.

“If there is nothing to hide in the report why keep it under lock and key.

“Mr Springborg has already refused to rule out outsourcing or privatising all or part of the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

“He needs to be upfront and tell Queenslanders what hospital and health services he intends to sell off. Taxpayers should not have to hand over $200 to the LNP to find out,” she said.

Mrs Miller said the Premier’s blueprint for the first half of 2013 recycled LNP commitments and claimed Labor Government initiatives including:

· the two ‘new’ ambulance stations at Emerald and Tara were started under the former government.

· the 130 new ambulance vehicles is part of a routine replacement program but is much less than the former government delivered in each of its last three years

· the six-month plan promises to ‘implement the ban on ambulance bypass’ at public hospitals which had already shown to be a farce and a failure

· confirmation that half of the state’s TAFE campuses would be sold

· the previous six-month “action” plan also contained a promise to start construction on 1 William Street

· claimed a review of rural fire services as an initiative when it was a repair job for Minister Jack Dempsey’s bungling.

“The latest ‘action plan’ also repeats numerous ‘initiatives’ listed in the last six-month plan covering July to December 2012,” Mrs Miller said.