Labor calls on state government to deliver full Townsville University Hospital upgrade, release Sangster Report

The Opposition is calling on the state government to release the Sangster Report and deliver the thousands of promised hospital beds across the state.

Townsville university Hospital. Picture: Evan Morgan

The Opposition is calling on the state government to release the Sangster Report and deliver the thousands of promised hospital beds across the state.

The LNP promised to deliver 2200 hospital beds by 2028 – including more than 140 in Townsville – but delays and scrapped deals have led to major delays.

Now, Labor want answers on when the government will deliver.

The Townsville Hospital Expansion, which included 143 additional beds, and a new rehabilitation and surgeries services, was put on hold late last year after major cost blowouts.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls has previously said the government intends to deliver the projects “in full” and suggested that the Sangster Review, an independent review of the Queensland Health Capacity Expansion Program, would be released, but failed to give a time frame.

Steven Miles Leader of the Opposition. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

The project was first announced by the former Palaszczuk Government in 2023, with the work beginning in late 2023 and expected to be complete in 2026.

Just days before Christmas in 2024, workers at Besix Watpac’s Townsville office were notified that Queensland Health had withdrawn from stage two of a $430m tender to expand the hospital.

The project was put back out to tender.

Opposition leader Steven Miles said Premier David Crisafulli had “promised no health cuts”.

“But now, he’s admitted that under his government, health projects are ‘undeliverable’,” Mr Miles said.

“The longer David Crisafulli Government sits on this secret report, the bigger the LNP cuts will be.

“It’s about time they released the Sangster Report and got on with the job in Townsville.

“Delaying, rescoping or cutting this project in any way will a cruel blow to Townsville.”

The state government also went back out to tender with a project for eight perinatal inpatients beds in Townsville.

The former government had announced an agreement with the Mater Private Hospital Townsville for the facility, however the LNP made the call not to go ahead with the arrangement.

Originally published as Labor calls on state government to deliver full Townsville University Hospital upgrade, release Sangster Report