David Crisafulli slaps down LNP ‘internal concern’ over Ros Bates’ transition to Health Minister

Insiders have dropped a pre-election bombshell on the LNP with claims Ros Bates will be axed from her portfolio, but David Crisafulli is firing back. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Concern within the LNP about whether health spokeswoman Ros Bates is up to the job of transitioning to become minister has been slapped down by Opposition Leader David Crisafulli.

Several sources within the LNP – which polling indicates will form government in October – told The Courier-Mail there were questions about whether Ms Bates would transition from opposition health spokeswoman to become health minister in a Crisafulli-led government.

They said she would almost certainly remain in Cabinet, but acknowledged the axing from the health portfolio would be a personal blow to Ms Bates – who takes pride in her health experience and promotes “registered nurse” in her title.

Mr Crisafulli denied the reports, however, and declared Ms Bates “will be health minister” if he becomes premier.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli has declared that Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates will be Health Minister if he becomes Premier. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

“Ros has achieved more for victims of the Queensland health crisis and frontline health workers from opposition than Labor’s four failed ministers have across a decade of government,” he said.

Ms Bates has been the opposition’s health spokeswoman for seven years, facing off against Labor health ministers Steven Miles, Yvette D’Ath and Shannon Fentiman.

High-placed LNP sources revealed while Ms Bates was considered an effective opposition health spokeswoman, said there were internal questions about her capability of leading the 105,000-worker Queensland Health behemoth.

Ms Bates was last year booted from Queensland parliament more times than any other MP.

In May she threatened to sue Ms Fentiman for $5000 after the health minister misquoted her in parliament – which sparked a torrent of abuse to her electorate office and social media.

“There is concern internally about Ros … her judgement,” one opposition MP said.

Another LNP source said while Mr Crisafulli “hasn’t thought about the transition”, insisted Ms Bates faced a battle to become health minister.

She will remain in Mr Crisafulli’s cabinet, they said.

Ros Bates has been involved in controversies in Parliament. Picture: Richard Walker

In the almost four years since the October 2020 state election the LNP has effectively prosecuted the government’s track record on health.

Ms Bates promoted the strain on Queensland Health workers and seized on datasets revealing hours of lost time for ambulances and the worst ramping on record last quarter.

In an interview with the Courier-Mail in September, Ms Bates pledged to be a “no nonsense” health minister.

“I will always put patient care first I will always listen to the staff,” she said.

Speculation about Ms Bates’s future was publicly aired by Ms Fentiman last week as she criticised the LNP’s education spokesman Christian Rowan – a doctor.

“David Crisafulli sent out Christian Rowan who let’s be honest, if the rumours are true, will be the LNP health minister if the LNP win, to attack our nurse-led clinics,” she said.

“I call on the LNP what is your plan to reduce pressure on our emergency departments.”

Dr Rowan is a former Australian Medical Association of Queensland president.

Ms Bates’s legal threat against Ms Fentiman prompted Premier Steven Miles to sensationally call the LNP MP “one of the nastiest people in the Queensland parliament”.