Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward petition to be tabled in two weeks

A Wide Bay mother whose sick child relied heavily on the now closed Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward has criticised Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien for not doing more to fight for its reopening.

A Mary Valley mother leading the fight to save the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward said she was confident of a positive outcome for the petition she started, which will be tabled at Parliament in two weeks.

Emily McGourty began the petition in May, asking for the Children’s Ward to be reopened soon after The Gympie Times reported on its closure due to a lack of paediatric services.

She was one of countless families who relied on the ward, with her teenage son Jaxon receiving monthly treatments for a rare autoimmune disease, juvenile dermatomyositis.

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The condition causes muscle weakness and rashes as a result of inflamed blood vessels, muscles and skin.

Ms McGourty’s petition has gained more than 1600 signatures, and followed an earlier Change.org petition she launched which drew 3290 signatures.

Mary Valley mum Emily McGourty said she had “a good feeling” about the petition ahead of its tabling in Parliament in two weeks time. Photo: Elizabeth Neil

Despite Change.org petitions not being sanctioned in parliament, Ms McGourty said she hoped both petitions could be presented.

She said she wanted to thank the community for their support, and was confident in a positive result.

“I have a good feeling about this, that we could just win this or at least change their mind and keep this ward there,” she said.

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“I don’t think this has wasted anyone’s time.”

She said she wanted to thank Gympie MP Tony Perrett and Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien for their support, after the politicians wrote a joint letter to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath in July.

But Ms McGourty said Mr O’Brien could be doing more to save the ward, rather than focussing all his attention on Gympie roads.

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“There is definitely room for improvement for the backing of politicians in the local area,” she said.

She told The Gympie Times in June she felt the second petition had stalled when it was first shared, but she said she has heard a lot of people discussing the issue since.

“I still think we’ve made good progress in that it’s a topic people are talking about,” she said.

The petition closes on Wednesday, August 25, and will be tabled in parliament the following week.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION