Labor piles pressure on LNP to commit to Princess Alexandra Hospital’s new spinal unit

Steven Miles says the LNP needs to “go find the money” to build a new spinal injuries unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in wake of the government’s refusal to commit.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba. Picture: Richard Walker

• Editor’s view: Bit rich of Labor

The LNP needs to “go find the money” to build a new spinal injuries unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Opposition leader says, as a tit for tat war of words brews over the delivery of better services for vulnerable Queenslanders.

“Tim Nicholls needs to tell Queenslanders if money will be in the budget for this new unit, and if it’s not, well, then he better go find it,” Steven Miles said.

The fiery response comes as Health Minister Tim Nicholls told The Courier-Mail on Thursday that Labor left no money to deliver their promised “state of the art” spinal unit and the LNP was investigating alternative future plans for spinal injuries services, including three units — one in Brisbane and another in Townsville and Cairns.

“We are investigating all options and it is a priority,” Mr Nicholls said.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls. Picture: Richard Walker

But Labor is enraged by the claims.

“Tim Nicholls says this is a priority and yet Queenslanders have no answers. The Crisafulli LNP government should not be skimping on health care for vulnerable Queenslanders,” Mr Miles said.

A Labor spokesman said that the former Labor government delivered funding to upgrade the existing unit and an additional $5m was put on the table to deliver a business case, which has since been finalised.

Labor argues that the former health minister commenced work on an updated statewide spinal injury delivery model. It was released in December 2024 and talked to a statewide co-ordinated approach to ensure patients could receive care closer to home.

Labor reveals that the report also confirmed an increase in demand at the Princess Alexandra Hospital unit and that is why a new, state of the art facility is needed to give patients the intensive care they need before returning home to continue recovery and rehabilitation.