State Parliament live blog: Follow the latest from February 12 sitting

The State Government has announced a major expansion at the Queensland Children’s Hospital with 24 extra beds to be added. FOLLOW THE STATE PARLIAMENT LIVE BLOG

Domanii Cameron

less than 2 min read

February 12, 2019 - 9:23AM

Queensland hospital to undergo name change

THE State Government has announced a major expansion at the Queensland Children’s Hospital with 24 extra beds to be added.

The $20 million expansion will also boost the specialise oncology service capacity by 25 per cent.

Health Minister Steven Miles said six beds would be added to the oncology ward with level 12 to be fitted out.

LADY CILENTO TO BE RENAMED

“Oncology has been consistently over capacity and so six additional beds will bring the number of oncology beds to 30,” he said.

“The expansions itself will deliver at least 24 additional beds on level 12, what services move to level 12 will now be determined in a co-design process between the hospital clinicians, patients and their families.”

Following consultation around the level 12 fit out, a tender will be released in the second half of this year with construction to begin in early 2020.

Live Updates

A-G addresses text to Fardon victim

Caitlin Smith

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath has risen to explain the text message her office sent to Robert John Fardon’s victim Sharon Tomlinson warning of the consequences she could face if she breached the suppression order initially placed on his release.

Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk had asked her to explain the circumstances of the message following questions from the Opposition.

Ms D’Ath said Ms Tomlinson was advised verbally as it was a requirement of the court and then asked is she would like it in writing as well,

“It was the court that imposed the suppression order. It was not at the request of the Government or an application of the Government,” Ms D’Ath told the House.

Ms D’Ath said the Government requested permission to share the information with the victims in light of the order.

“Doing so, it was a requirement of the court to inform people of the court’s continuing suppression order and the operation of contempt of court if it is breached.

“She (Ms Tomlinson) was verbally advised after we sought permission from the court of the decision of the court in the Fardon matter and of the suppression order and, as required by the court, advised what the consequences would be if there was a breach of that suppression order.

“It was entirely appropriate for those court orders to be followed.”

Ms D’Ath said it would have been irresponsible not to have informed Ms Tomlinson of the consequences of breaching the order.

“That is the context of that text message. It was not to cause harm or in any way threaten a victim of Robert Fardon,” she told the House.

Minister defends state's racing integrity systm

Caitlin Smith

The final Opposition question of the day was to Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.

“Will the Minister advise the House why Victoria can deal with the Darren Weir matter within a week, whereas Queensland Racing has 36 cases at QCAT, some nearly a year old are still to be heard?,” LNP Racing spokesman John-Paul Langbroek asked.
Mr Hinchliffe told he House in response: “I am advised that Mr Weir has not nominated any horse in a race in Queensland since January 12, 2019.

“There is no evidence indicating any association with Queensland … however I can assure the House that the Queensland Racing Intergrity Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he said.

He went on to defend the integrity regime currently in place in the state.

Premier: 'I've been waiting for this question all day'

Caitlin Smith

TOOWOOMBA MP Trevor Watts has asked the Premier how the Government could justify “wasting” half a million dollars on changing the name of the former Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, when the money could have been spent on saving the Crime Stoppers call centre.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk initially said she was surprised the question had been raised today, “of all days”, after a tribunal yesterday ruled former LNP MP Chris Davis would be paid $1.4 million in compensation following discrimination claims.

She then said she’d been waiting for the question “all day”.

“ … taxpayers now have to pay $1.4 million because their (LNP) former government discriminated against their former colleague,” she said.

The Premier said Crime Stoppers would go back to operating how it did under the LNP.

Opposition questions future of Crime Stoppers

Caitlin Smith

The Opposition has turned its focus to Crime Stoppers.

Opposition Employment spokeswoman Fiona Simpson has asked the Premier to guarantee no calls to the service will go unanswered following the closure of the volunteer call centre service.

Calls will now be answered by the QPS.

Ms Palaszczuk insisted the service would continue.,

“I have been assured that Crime Stoppers will continue to operate, that calls will be answered,” she told the House.

“It operates like this in every other state. It has not been closed.”

Has Brisbane's 'vampire killer' breached parole?

Caitlin Smith

LEADER of Opposition Business Jarrod Bleijie has asked Ms Palaszczuk about Facebook posts made by “vampire killer” Tracey Wiggington and whether she had sought a briefing over whether any parole conditions had been breached and whether her parole should be revoked.

“The Parole board is independently established,” Ms Palaszczuk said in response.

“I am happy to ask the Attorney-General to look into that matter.”

Police Minister quizzed on Fardon's address

Caitlin Smith

Another question has been asked about Robert John Fardon, with Shadow health spokeswoman Ros Bates quizzing Police Minister Mark Ryan on where the convicted rapist lives.

“What I can say is the Police Commissioner knows, that’s our laws,” he said.
“He reassures me that the community is safe.

“They (LNP) voted for the strongest laws in the nation which we brought in.”

Health Minister's shot at LNP over discrimination

Caitlin Smith

Health Minister Steven Miles uses his answer to a dixer on the Queensland’s Children’s Hospital to take aim at the LNP over the payout awarded to Dr Chris Davis following his discrimination case.

"Dr Chris Davis was the only qualified applicant for a position but he was discriminated against by those opposite,” Mr Miles told the House.

“What was his crime? He disagreed with Campbell Newman. He disagreed with the LNP. He was blackbanned.”

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says she was surprised to see the Federal Government had thrown its support behind a City Deal for the southeast this morning.
“I was very surprised to see that the Federal Government has finally woken up and come to the table,” she said.
“We have written numerous letters, nine letters in total over three years.”

The Courier-Mail revealed this morning that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had thrown his support behind the ambitious plan that aims to modernize the region, answering the calls of southeast Queensland mayors and the State Government.

The plan includes transforming the public transport system.

A-G's blast: Opposition 'playing politics' on Fardon

Caitlin Smith

Opposition State Development spokesman Andrew Powell has asked another Fardon-related question, this time directing it to Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.

He asked why she supported a suppression order to “gag media and his victims” from revealing the court’s decision.

Ms D’Ath hit back, insisting the Government opposed the suppression order.
“I find it absolutely disgusting that the Opposition are playing politics with this matter when they themselves lost a Court of Appeal decision to keep Mr Fardon in detention,” she said.

“The Crown on behalf of the Government opposed the suppression order."

Ms D’Ath said the government argued that if the suppression order must be imposed it should only be the for the most minimal amount of time of “two to three days”.

“But our initial submissions made to the court was that we opposed the suppression order.”