Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has gone straight for the jugular during Question Time, asking Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk if she would sack the Health Minister over her government's health crisis.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has begun Question Time asking Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk if she would sack Health Minister Steven Miles over her government's health crisis.
Ms Frecklington said someone had to be answerable to the "sensational sacking" of Metro South head Dr Stephen Ayre yesterday.
Ms Palaszczuk did not address the question, instead attacking the previous Newman Government's record on health and talking up her own.
"The board made that decision … the board makes decisions and the board made that decision," she said.
– Jessica Marszalek
Workers and taxpayers are still chasing Clive Palmer for $77 million over the collapse of Queensland Nickel but the senate hopeful's debts are apparently still rising.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey revealed in Question Time that Mr Palmer still owed $1 million in unpaid fees to the Port of Townsville.
Mr Bailey said Mr Palmer was a “bully and a bragger” as he called on him to repay all his debts.
– Michael Wray
Health Minister Steven Miles has been asked why an ambulance took an hour to tend to a 71-year-old Mackay woman with multiple fractures.
Whitsundays MP Jason Costigan told the House the woman had been injured falling down the stairs and had a massive wait despite the local ambulance station being just 9 kilometres away.
Mr Miles did not comment on the individual case but accused the LNP of feeding questions to Mr Costigan, now an Independent MP after his expulsion from the LNP.
– Jessica Marszalek
Burdekin MP Dale Last has asked the Premier whether she would scrap the Government's contentious youth bail houses.
It comes after a young offender allegedly escaped last week in Townsville.
Ms Palaszczuk said the Government would continue to work with organisations to support young people who were on bail.
– Domanii Cameron
Burdekin MP Dale Last has asked the Premier whether she would scrap the Government's contentious youth bail houses.
It comes after a young offender allegedly escaped last week in Townsville.
Ms Palaszczuk said the Government would continue to work with organisations to support young people who were on bail.
– Domanii Cameron
Health Minister Steven Miles has defended the use of rapid offloads in southeast Queensland hospitals.
Mr Miles was asked in Question Time about a Right to Information request that revealed a document showing PA Hospital staff had complained the policy was putting patients at risk.
The policy, introduced during the Commonwealth Games last year, allows paramedics to leave patients on stretchers in corridors before doctors are ready to treat them.
It allows ambulances to respond to more triple-zero calls but doctors and nurses say it leaves vulnerable patients at risk.
Mr Miles said he would like to see the document but that he would have sought a briefing on any issues raised.
"Whenever issues have been raised by me I have acted on them," he said.
But he insisted the rapid offload policy was working.
"The most important thing … is patients get into the hospital as fast as possible so paramedics can get back on the road," he said.
He said improving the response times of ambulance was vital.
He said the median wait times at hospitals were still good, despite recent spikes in demand.
– Jessica Marszalek
The LNP has again targeted the rapid offload policy at hospitals, seizing on comments from a senior union official that the policy was “putting the lives of Queenslanders at risk”.
Opposition education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to “take responsibility” for the policy.
Ms Palaszczuk said her government was taking the issue “extremely seriously” with Health Minister Steven Miles “talking to everyone” including doctors, paramedics and nurses about the issue.
“We will also sit down and discuss it with the unions because that’s what we do in this state,” she said.
– Michael Wray
More than $11 million has been spent on leasing costs for demountable buildings at state schools since 2015.
The figure, revealed in a question on notice, has been seized on by the Opposition, with shadow education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie claiming leases were a band-aid solution for growing schools.
“Our kids deserve a world-class education but Labor has no plan to build the schools that a growing state needs," he said.
“The LNP adopted an independent Schools Planning Commission, with a long-term plan that was open and transparent.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk is only interested in pork-barrelling two marginal seats – the Education Minister Grace Grace and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.”
Education Minister Grace Grace said leased buildings were used in state schools while longer term solutions were planned, scoped and funded.
"These buildings may include amenities, additional classroom space, administration areas, or other spaces to meet local needs," she said.
– Domanii Cameron
THE unemployment rate in the Bowen Basin has fallen more than 6 per cent since 2015.
New figures revealed in a question on notice overnight revealed unemployment is now sitting at 3.5 per cent — down from 9.6 per cent.
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said Queensland was leading the way in the renewable energy sector, according to ABS data released this month.
“Queensland accounts for 29 per cent of total renewable energy sector employment in Australia,” she said.
“5080 Queenslanders were employed in the renewable energy sector as of mid-2018.
“Available data from the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy indicates that for projects specific to the North Queensland, Mackay-Isaac-
Whitsunday and Central Queensland regions, which contain the Bowen Basin, indicates there are up to 2770 construction jobs supported by renewable energy projects under construction in the region.
“The Palaszczuk Government has approved $20 billion worth of resource projects over four years supporting more than 7000 long-term jobs, including around 700 jobs in projects located in the Bowen Basin.”
It joins the State Government's advertising blitz in regional newspapers today, which spruiks its record on resources job.
– Domanii Cameron
Queensland Health's controversial rapid offload policy – used by ambulances at public hospitals – has been brought up in Parliament, with Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington asking the Premier whether she would drop it.
Ms Palaszczuk didn't say yes, but said there had been a state-wide decrease in emergency department presentations.
"At the same time we are seeing … increase in flu representatives," she said.
The Premier encouraged Queenslanders to get their flu shots.
– Domanii Cameron
The controversial Adani coal mine remains in limbo waiting for State Government approval but the Resources Minister has given the green light to the expansion of another coal mine, extending its life to 75 years.
Resources Minister Anthony Lynham said he approved a mining lease last Friday that would allow Yancoal to ramp-up production at Cameby Downs to 3.5 million tonnes, creating up to 20 new jobs.
He said peak production was expected to be reached within 12 months.
“This expansion is a vote of confidence by Yancoal in Queensland’s world-class resources, our infrastructure and our skilled resources workforce,” he said.
Cameby Downs has been producing thermal coal for export since mid-2010.
“For Western Downs communities like Miles and Chinchilla, it’s greater security around the mine’s existing 140 jobs and means job opportunities for current and future generations of locals,” he said.
He said it was just one in a “Queensland conga line” of new and re-opened resources projects.
– Michael Wray
Health Minister Steven Miles has apologised to businesses that have suffered delays because of the new Queensland Health payment system.
A Queensland Government-owned utility corporation has underpaid hundreds of its senior staff for more than a decade in a bungle that could have ripped off up to a quarter of its workforce.