Annastacia Palaszczuk claims the Federal Government owes her government $300 million in health funding.
Editorial: Stop the blame game and fix this mess
Woman with endometriosis kicked out of three hospitals while in excruciating pain
Southeast Qld hospitals still full, but we’re ‘not in crisis’
Speaking in Parliament yesterday amid questions over the hospital saga, the Premier (pictured) said Queensland had a record health budget.
“At last count, the Federal Government owed us $300 million,” she said.
“In fact, the Health Minister (Steven Miles) and I have written numerous letters to the Prime Minister demanding the money.”
A spokesman for Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Coalition was delivering more than $2.2 billion more to Queensland hospitals this year, compared to what the former Labor Government funded during its last year.
“It is an undeniable fact that since 2014-15, funding from the Commonwealth has grown by $1.2 billion or 40 per cent, yet during the same period the Palaszczuk Labor Government has only provided an additional $748 million or 12 per cent,” he said.
“It is an undeniable fact that federal funding to Queensland hospitals has grown at three times the rate of Queensland funding.”
Mr Hunt’s spokesman said the State Government had engineered a crisis due to its own incompetence.
“One in 10 public hospital beds in Queensland are being taken up by privately insured patients – Queensland’s Labor Government is chasing private patient revenue at the expense of public patients,” he said.
Mr Miles yesterday denied private patients using the public sector had contributed to increased numbers.
Updates
Questions have again been raised around DIY birthing kits, but Health Minister Steven Miles has slammed “ridiculous claims” being made by the LNP.
Callide MP Colin Boyce has tabled a letter referring to the kits being used in Theodore.
It comes after he asked a similar question on Tuesday, but did not table the letter.
In response, Mr Miles held up a letter that Queensland Health sent yesterday clarifying the kits are to be stocked for nurses.
“At all level 1 birthing services in the CQHHS’, birthing kits to be used by nurses in the hospital, are to be stocked,” he said.
“Birthing packs are essential … and save time in the case of imminent births.
“They are not designed to be given to women.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been asked why, if the Government knew about increased numbers of flu cases, did the health system not plan ahead.
“As I said yesterday and I’m happy to say it again, in relation to the number of flu cases … it is unprecedented,” she said.
“The statistics don’t lie.”
There have been 8500 cases of flu this year."
Health Minister Steven Miles has finally been asked about hospitals, after every question being directed at the Premier over the last two days.
Moggill MP Christian Rowan asked how many private patients were in public hospital beds at the moment.
Mr Miles didn’t provide a figure.
“Private patients in public hospitals deliver $400 million to the … budget,” Mr Miles said.
All southeast hospitals have been taken off code yellow.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk just made the announcement in State Parliament.
The Premier also said it was costing the State Government about $500,000 a day to look after aged-care residents in public hospitals.
“Very simple, aged care, federal responsibility,” she said.
Day three of the hospital saga is continuing in Parliament today.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has just announced that hospitals on the Gold Coast and Metro North hospitals are no longer in code yellow.
Metro South is also expected to stand down from code yellow at 10.30am today.
This means all 10 of the southeast hospitals that were at capacity are expected to fall below shortly.
CONCERNS regarding the nation’s controversial NAPLAN tests have been raised with Education Minister Grace Grace every week since she became Minister.
Ms Grace this morning released the Government’s evaluation to NAPLAN, which she requested last year.
“This response is not surprising as since I became Education Minister, not a week has gone by without someone raising a concern with me about NAPLAN,” she said.
“Speaker, the Palaszczuk Government’s evaluation identified that NAPLAN had played a role in supporting improvements in Queensland’s educational outcomes.
“However, many parents reported that testing caused their child to experience anxiety and stress; that there were a range of unintended consequences stemming from the now high-stakes nature of the testing; and that there were differing expectations about the purpose of NAPLAN.”
THE first shipment of Queensland green hydrogen has been exported to Japan, says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Exported by JXTG, Japan’s largest petroleum conglomerate, the hydrogen was produced at QUT’s solar cell facility, located at the Queensland Government’s Redlands Research Facility.
Ms Palaszczuk told State Parliament this morning the shipment marked a significant step towards creating a commercially viable hydrogen industry in Queensland.
“This demonstration of renewable hydrogen being successfully exported overseas is an exciting first step in producing and exporting hydrogen at a commercial scale in the future,” she said.
“I applaud the project partners on making this a reality.”
Ms Palaszczuk also announced $250,000 in funding to create a renewable hydrogen pilot plant at the Redlands facility.
“This will ensure the knowledge within the hydrogen industry in Queensland continues to grow at pace with the international market,” she said.
QUEENSLANDERS have donated $10 million to help victims of this year's devastating floods.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed the figure this morning ahead of a sold out fundraiser at Parliament House tonight.
She also revealed the Government would spend $5.2 million helping rebuild the Proserpine Entertainment Centre following another natural disaster to strike the state, Cyclone Debbie.
FIVE of the southeast’s hospitals which were at capacity are now under, Health Minister Steven Miles has revealed.
There are no plans to cancel any elective surgeries today, after 15 were cancelled over the last two days.
“Five hospitals have come off code yellow and another five are currently re-assessing but some pressure remains,” Mr Miles said.
“All hospitals have indicated they do not expect to reschedule any elective surgeries based on current demand.
“Most have reported lower than expected ED presentations, with the exception of Redcliffe and The Prince Charles.
“While EDs often see pressure in winter, the system has never seen this kind of sustained increase in demand for hospitals across the South East outside of the winter period.”
