Media Release.
Shadow Health
Minister Jo-Ann Miller says Lawrence Springborg should today detail the next
three years of cuts he is imposing on the Townsville Hospital and Health
region’s budget as part of $3 billion in cuts over four years he is demanding on
the statewide health system.
“This year as
Minister for Health Cuts and Closures, Mr Springborg is chopping $21 million
from the Townsville HHS’s budget which is why the Townsville Hospital is losing
nurses, other frontline staff and frontline services,” Mrs Miller
said.
“That $21
million is just the first round of cuts Mr Springborg is making to the
Townsville region health budget as part of total cuts to all regional health
boards totalling $944 million over four years.
“In addition,
Mr Springborg is cutting a further $1.7 billion in wages by slashing almost
2,800 jobs in hospitals and health services across the state.
“Mr
Springborg will cut a total of $120 million in health grants to community and
illness prevention organisations, and make $283 million in other cuts to Health
Department spending.
“It’s good to
see Mr Springborg finally earning the $6,000 a week he has been paid as Health
Minister by attending a meeting with Townsville nurses.
“So far all
he has done is to hide behind regional health boards and claim their decisions
have nothing to do with him when in fact they are implementing LNP
policies.
“I hope Mr
Springborg will not try his usual tired old trick of claiming a 21% or $600
million rise in federal health funding to Queensland over four years is a ‘cut’.
He needs to talk about the cuts he is imposing.
“Federal
health funding to our state will rise from $3.1 billion this year to $3.7
billion in 2015-16, yet Mr Springborg claims that is a ‘cut’. It just shows yet
again how you just can’t trust the LNP,” Mrs Miller said.
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