Budget estimates: Shannon Fentiman to face questions

Queensland Health’s top bureaucrat has confirmed he sought controversial media training for executives, saying it was a reasonable initiative but conceding one major problem. 

• Labor MP's shock retirement

The latest Queensland health performance data shows “everything is heading in the right direction”, despite an increased hospital and ambulance demand, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has said.

Ms Fentiman is in the hot seat for budget estimates on Thursday, and proceedings got off to a fiery start with Opposition Leader David Crisafulli claiming the state government was being "slippery" on health data.  

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Updates

8:44 pm July 25, 2024 Highlight

Estimates continues 9am Friday

That’s all folks.
Stay tuned tomorrow for Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath at 9am, followed by Police Minister Mark Ryan and Fire, Disaster Recovery and Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd.
In case you missed it, here’s what’s happened at estimates to date:
Fears of billion-dollar revenue shortfall amid fresh Olympic stadium scandal
'So nice': 5-star, luxury hotel rooms for Qld's homeless
‘Tokenistic sham’: Steven Miles’ flagship supermarket inquiry cost revealed
Qld CFMEU official gets board job after hit with series of workplace fines
'Complete fantasy' Dick slams notion consultation with miners on royalties was worthwhile
Gabba’s $1bn cost figure sensationally ‘not based on any analysis’
Premier explains twin jet use but cost remains a mystery

-Taylah Fellows

8:40 pm July 25, 2024 Highlight

Science department not consulted on $1bn quantum computer investment

Queensland scientists were not consulted prior to the government’s decision to invest $940 million in US start-up company PsiQuantum to build a world-first quantum computer in Queensland.
Director-General of the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation Jamie Merrick said while his department played a “facilitation role” to the treasury, they were not party to any detailed negotiations with PsiQuantum.
“We have, at times, provided advice in terms of leading quantum expertise that could support the decision of the government, but that's the extent of our involvement in this,” he said.
LNP Science and Innovation spokesman Sam O’Connor pressed Mr Merrick on why the department -which manages the quantum strategy and is considered the science expert within government – would not have any input in a nearly $1bn science investment.
“The discussions (with PsiQuantum), I suspect…probably go back a couple of years,” Mr Merrick said.
“Whilst we have broad lead for science, I would say that quantum is a rapidly emerging field we do not have inhouse genuine expertise in quantum technologies.”
Science and Innovation Minister Leanne Linard quickly defended the expensive investment, claiming it would create 17000 jobs Australia-wide.
“The CSIRO estimates that, as a country, our economic return from quantum could reach $2.2 billion and 1700 jobs,” she said.
“I think it's wonderful, across government,l that we are working to make sure that Queenslanders, our businesses, are having a part in that (and) that we are a leader in that,” she said.
“Particularly given this provides an opportunity to solve some of the most complex problems.”

-Taylah Fellows

8:05 pm July 25, 2024 Highlight

Environment Minister yet to visit proposed Burdekin pumped hydro site

Several jabs have been exchanged between Environment Minister Leanne Linard and the LNP’s environment spokesman Sam O’Connor as Ms Linard defends the state’s conservation efforts at tonight’s final estimates session.
Mr O’Connor attacked the government’s small 17 per cent land protection target and its limited gains in protected area acquisition since 2015 when Labor came to power.
Over the past decade, the government has increased protected land from 13.1 million hectares to nearly 15 million hectares, but this was criticised by Mr O’Connor as a slight achievement.
He also questioned why conservation efforts had received so little funding, at one point asking Ms Linard whether her requests for more money had been unsuccessful.
Ms Linard quickly retorted that the government’s recent $2.4 million funding commitment for conservation efforts for the next two years was “more than any plan that you have communicated publicly in respect to protecting Queensland's environment”.
“Again, I come back to your one page environment policy for the future of conservation in Queensland that does not mention the word conservation or traditional owners or ranges,” she said.
Mr O’Connor sought updates on environmental studies being conducted on the proposed Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro site, however was told environmental assessments are being exclusively undertaken by Queensland Hydro and are yet to be reviewed by the department.
Ms Linard confirmed that while she was yet to visit the site, she had met with concerned stakeholders twice in Mackay. “I have not been to the site but the Premier himself went to the site to meet with concerned stakeholders, but I have heard their concerns,” she said.

-Taylah Fellows

6:20 pm July 25, 2024 Highlight

Timber supply secure for years, Forestry Minister assures

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Mark Furner has survived his round of budget estimates.
Hot topics covered included shark nets and the risks to other animals, jobs and skills training in regional areas, biosecurity, irrigation and Aaron Harper MP catching a barramundi in Townsville.
LNP spokesman for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Perrett raised the issue of sustainability and security within the state’s timber industry, particularly alongside growing construction and housing demand, including the government’s supergrid plan which would require a significant number of timber power poles.
Mr Furner said the government had committed $200 million over the next ten years to develop a forestry sustainability framework.
“That framework will discuss key aspects of whether it be power poles or anything else that is confronted with regards to making sure those needs are met,” he said.
Mr Furner said currently, native timber suppliers operated on contracts, which were due to expire this year.
“The Queensland Government will continue to supply native timber until December 31, 2026,” he said.
“Two (contracts) have been signed out of the 14 that have been offered. And those contracts will replace the existing ones that expire on December 31 this year.
Mr Furner assured there should be no reduction in supply levels from 2025 to the end of 2043.

-Taylah Fellows

3:43 pm July 25, 2024 Highlight

Cost of fire ants to economy revealed

Madura McCormack

Destructive fire ants would cost Queensland’s economy $1.65bn annually if eradication fails according to the state government’s own figures.
The industry-decimating super pest is at risk of breaching Queensland’s containment walls and spreading uncontrollably across the country in a major threat to backyards and the agriculture sector.
The Red Imported Fire Ant, native to South America, was first detected in Queensland in 2001. It has since spread to the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, and out west to Toowoomba.
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries chief executive Graeme Bolton, at budget estimates, said widespread fire ant invasions would cost the Queensland economy $1.65bn annually.

11:06 am July 25, 2024 Highlight

Schoolies on the Gold Coast able to test illicit drug pills at new government service

Madura McCormack

Pill-testing will be rolled out to Schoolies on the Gold Coast this year, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has confirmed.
The site will be located close to the entertainment precinct in Surfers Paradise and co-located with other health services.
The free, voluntary and confidential service involves the testing of substances a person is intending to use, providing a health intervention that aims to change a person’s behaviour, and reduce their risk of harms associated with illicit drug use.
It follows the establishment of the first fixed-site service, CheQpoint, in Bowen Hills in April this year and a second CheQpoint fixed site which was opened at Burleigh on the Gold Coast in July.
According to the government 40 people used the service at Bowen Hills in the first month with a total of 80 samples.
The results showed 74 per cent of the drugs included unregulated substances like MDMA, Alprazolam and LSD.
Another 12 per cent had novel psychoactive substances, 3 per cent of other less common substances and 8 per cent of unknown drugs.
More than half of those people chose to discard the drugs on site and a further 16 per cent reported they would discard the substances themselves.

10:53 am July 25, 2024 Highlight

Health boss confirms he cooked up media training idea

Madura McCormack

Queensland Health’s top bureaucrat has confirmed he was the one who sought controversial media training for executives, conceding the timing was problematic.
But Queensland Health director-general Michael Walsh said communications agency Rowland was not hired to coach executives on estimates, and that the idea was first floated two to three months ago.
“It’s really important to understand that part of the role of being a senior executive in the public sector is to be able to communicate very complex and difficult information to the public… I entered therefore it was a reasonable thing to organize,” he said.
In early July the Courier-Mail revealed Queensland Health had allocated tens of thousands of dollars to engage Rowland to deliver “media training” to its executives.
Sources inside the health system at the time said the training was “solely for Estimates” and described it as being aimed at protecting the “image” of the government.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, amid questions from the media, move to immediately scrap the media training.
Mr Walsh said Queensland Health approached several companies to tender for the media training before selecting Rowland—which he said was the best value option.
“As the Minister said at the time that it was canceled, the problem was that the training had been associated with the estimates and that made it look like it wasn't something that should occur,” he said.
“So there's nothing wrong with organising, meeting training, but the timing was problematic.”
He said there was no “definitive list” of people allowed to access the media training, though he flagged executives like the Chief Dentist, the Chief Nursing Officer, and the Chief Midwife as likely candidates.
Mr Walsh affirmed the cancellation of the contract came at no cost.

10:24 am July 25, 2024 Highlight

Hospital bed growth over a decade revealed

Some fun facts thanks to questions put to the Health Minister by Greens MP Amy MacMahon.
In the 2014-15 financial year there were 11,752 available hospital beds across the state.
As of today, there are 13,928 beds -an increase of just 2,176 beds.
In March 2015, there were 7,930 doctors and 27, 916 nurses and midwives.
As of June 2024, there are 12,226 doctors and 41,941 nurses and midwives.

-Taylah Fellows

10:14 am July 25, 2024 Highlight

Children Hospital ward rejig proposal causes concern

Madura McCormack

Queensland’s premier children’s hospital is considering breaking up its dedicated babies ward to make way for other inpatients as a spike in patients puts pressure on the facility.
But the proposal, which is part of an ongoing consultation process, has raised the ire of staff who fear this could put high risk babies at risk, on top of concerns with mixing babies, children and young people on the wards.
Queensland Children’s Hospital, in a business case proposal launched in February, put forward two options to find a fix moving forward to meet increasing demand.
“QCH has experienced a decline in the efficiency and timeliness of patient flow performance and has seen an increase in the total number of acute admissions over the last 12 months compared to historic periods, including increases in Emergency Department (ED) presentations,” the document noted.
“While it is necessary to consider opportunities for improvement to meet the current challenges, there is also a need to set a path for QCH so that it can position itself to respond to the forecasted challenges in the next five years.
“External influences are also predicated to put further pressure on health and hospital services. It is imperative QCH considers the current inpatient ward configuration to respond appropriately to these challenges.”
The hospital put forward two alternative options, but staff declined to make a pick, prompting the creation of a third choice.
QCH chief executive Professor Frank Tracey, at estimates, said the “process is about increasing flow in our hospitals so that we can always attend to the most urgent cases that present through our emergency department and from other hospitals and health services across the state”.
“I think it's important to understand the nuance of what we're proposing here. No decisions have been made about the final configuration of our wards,” he said.
But Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates raised concerns about babies mixing with children and warned whistleblower staff were unhappy.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said no decisions had been made.
“I know how much (QCH) value their staff. And if the staff say they don't think that this proposal will work or result in improved safety, then I'm sure the Children's Hospital will not proceed,” she said.

10:06 am July 25, 2024 Highlight

Sensitive investigations protected by privacy laws

LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates has grilled Health Minister Shannon Fentiman over her commitment to releasing the terms of reference for all "Part 9" investigations – more commonly known as investigations into hospital health services following the death of a patient.
“We've just run through at least four investigations where that clearly did not happen in each case. Do you admit you failed to meet the standard you set for yourself?” Ms Bates said.
Ms Fentiman explained the terms of reference could not always be made public due to privacy laws and sensitive details of individual cases.
“We're dealing with really tragic circumstances for families in those cases,” she said.
“Legally, it is not possible to release those terms of reference, but what we have seen is that there is public knowledge about the investigation, and that there are summaries of findings and recommendations published.
“But where there are individual patients or families involved, the legislation is quite clear, we actually don't have the power to override those privacy and legal issues.”

-Taylah Fellows