LNP WORKCHOICE CONTRACTS THREATEN HOSPITAL COLLAPSE

  Media Release

Opposition Leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says the Newman Government risks bringing the state’s public hospital system to a halt if it persists with job contracts that force doctors to leave the state health system.

“If the arrogant Newman Government persists with these contracts and specialists leave the public system or go interstate or overseas then the LNP will have succeeded in destroying our public hospital system,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

"It is a scandal that as late as this morning the AMA in Queensland is saying they still can’t secure a meeting with Health Minister Lawrence Springborg to sort out the problem."

“This madness must stop and it must stop today. The ball is firmly in Mr Springborg’s court."

“It is time to drop these WorkChoices contracts and start sensible negotiations with doctors."

“Without them we have no hospital system. It's as simple as that," Ms Palaszczuk said.

Shadow Health Minister, Jo-Ann Miller, said if the LNP brought the hospital system to a halt Mr Springborg will need to stand at hospital gates and turn away accident victims, and stroke and heart attack patients

“These WorkChoices-style contracts were part of the Newman LNP Government’s plans to Americanise the state's public hospital system.” Mrs Miller said.

“Doctors are only the first to feel the impact of the arrogant LNP Government and its unfair job contracts. Next it will be nurses and other frontline health staff."

"The LNP has already been sacking nurses, cutting frontline services, selling off one-third of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, and planning to privatise as much of the system as possible."

“Now the arrogant Newman Government is risking the very existence of our public hospital system with its drive to cut the conditions of senior medical officers through unfair contracts that erode entitlements such as fatigue breaks."

"Lawrence Springborg should today announce he will drop his efforts to force doctors onto contracts under which conditions can be changed at the stroke of a pen with no recourse to the independent umpire, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission,” Mrs Miller said.