Trevor Watts and David Janetzki demand new Toowoomba Hospital for region

A new petition, supported by two Toowoomba MPs, has taken aim at the State Government’s failed promise for a new state-of-the-art facility in the region - four years after plans were announced. Details here.

A Toowoomba MP has called out the Queensland Government over failed promises to construct a new city hospital.

A petition backed by Toowoomba North and South members Trevor Watts and David Janetzki calls on the government to fund and redevelop the Toowoomba Hospital on the Baillie Henderson site – a promise made in 2018.

“It's incredibly disappointing. a promise made should be a promise kept,” Mr Watts said.

“This has now been sitting on the current health minister’s desk for over 12 months and nearly two years, and the decision should be to fund our hospital in the upcoming budget.”

Sponsored by Mr Watts, the petition titled Toowoomba Hospital Redevelopment on the Queensland Government website urges the government to listen to the district and supply the region with required facilities.

“It is well recognised that the current state of the Toowoomba Hospital building is past its intended use-by date, and as the second largest inland city in Australia, residents should have access to world class health facilities,” the petition reads.

Mr Watts said the people of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs deserved their hospital, and the government refused to listen to their demands.

“At the moment we’re spending $7.5 million transporting half blind pensioners to Brisbane for their cataract surgery,” he said.

“That’s just not good enough.

“We should be spending that money on better medical (care) because we don't have the facility here to look after our own people.”

Mr Janetzki said the Queensland Government had neglected regional health services.

“There are no more workarounds or short-term fixes available at our hospital, and our region deserves better,” he said.

However, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the government would continue to invest in the Darling Downs health network “as part of our $937.18 million budget for Darling Downs HHS”.

“Darling Downs HHS’s business case on the Toowoomba Hospital redevelopment is still being progressed,” she said.

“The HHS is working to deliver improvements to local health infrastructure, including $42 million for a new two-theatre day surgery facility at Baillie Henderson Hospital Campus.”

The petition closes on June 19 and can be viewed here.

Originally published as Trevor Watts and David Janetzki demand new Toowoomba Hospital for region