Premier claims coal royalty switch from stadium to Mackay Base Hospital

Steven Miles claims his government has diverted coal royalties money from building a new stadium in Brisbane to a $250 million hospital expansion in north Queensland.

Premier Steven Miles has defended diverting investment from a new stadium while turning the first sod for a $250 million hospital expansion.

Mr Miles said the government made a choice to use coal royalties for funding the Mackay Base Hospital upgrade instead of using it for a new stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The premier was flanked by health minister Shannon Fentiman and Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert to celebrate a “health big build” with construction expected to conclude in 2026.

“While it is true that we have increased royalties on coal companies, we are choosing to spend that money on the priorities of Queenslanders, things like expanding the Mackay Base Hospital (and) cost of living relief,” he said.

Premier Steven Miles at the Mackay Base Hospital with Shannon Fentiman, Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert, and MHHS CEO Susan Gannon. Pic Annette Dew

“Those that are calling on us to build a big new stadium in Brisbane are calling on us to spend billions above that $7.1 billion already allocated and I just couldn’t justify that to Queenslanders at a time that I know that they are struggling.”

The premier also doubled down on his apology the day before to a riotous town hall of Eungella residents blindsided by the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped hydro project announcement, yet said he thought upcoming environmental studies “will tell us how to do it rather than not to do it”.

Health minister Shannon Fentiman said the 128 new beds expected in the upgrade would be matched by “hundreds more staff” and that recruitment for those positions would begin well before construction is finished.

Premier Steven Miles at the Mackay Base Hospital. Pic Annette Dew

She noted despite a “global health workforce shortage”, she was pleased to see new nurses taking up the incentives drawing them to the region.

Ms Fentiman said it was “really critical” new birthing suites were located close to operating theatres after several mothers shared traumatic birthing experiences involving emergency surgery.

The design was one of the 122 recommendations of a damning review handed down in 2022, with Ms Fentiman noting 113 of those recommendations were completed.

Premier Steven Miles at the Mackay Base Hospital with Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Pic Annette Dew

“There are a few outstanding which relate to the construction of this expansion of the hospital, so it’s wonderful to kick start that today,” she said.

The Health Minister said “nearly half” of the women who requested compensation after horrific experiences at Mackay Base had had their matters settled, with the rest “almost complete” or still being investigated.

“Overwhelmingly we recognise that it was the Mackay Hospital that provided a service that was not up to scratch, and we have made it as easy as possible for these women to be compensated,” Ms Fentiman said.

Ms Fentiman was again pushed on ramping, saying the Ipswich Hospital was “very, very close” to finishing the investigation into the death of Wayne Iriving after waiting three hours on an ambulance stretcher.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman speaking at Mackay Base Hospital on April 3, 2024. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates had slammed Ms Fentiman for a “disgraceful deliberate cover-up” over perceived changes in how ramping data is released, but the health minister said data was being released monthly, rather than quarterly, “for the first time in Queensland’s history”.

She noted Mackay’s 10 minute median wait time was well below the statewide average of 15.

Ms Fentiman was again pushed on ramping, saying the Ipswich Hospital was “very, very close” to finishing the investigation into the death of Wayne Iriving after waiting three hours on an ambulance stretcher.