Editorial: Incumbent on LNP to act so whistleblower’s move not in vain

The incoming LNP government was under no obligation to honour Labor’s commitment on a beleaguered spinal unit, but was expected to act, writes the editor.

Whistleblower Dr Dinesh Palipana

Queensland was shocked in April 2023 when The Courier-Mail exclusively revealed the horrific conditions inside the state’s only specialist spinal unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Dr Dinesh Palipana, himself a former patient at the unit, risked his career by speaking out about a perceived lack of respect for patient dignity.

Former patients spoke about being left to lie in their own excrement, and being forced to sit naked in front of other patients.

The exclusive story from The Courier-Mail’s health reporter Jackie Sinnerton eventually forced the then Labor government to commit to build a modern unit.

The incoming LNP government was under no obligation to honour that commitment, but was expected to act.

So far nothing has happened.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles had called this failure to act a betrayal of Queenslanders.

That’s a bit rich considering what happened on Labor’s watch.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls has refused to reveal his plans for the unit, saying that they are investigating all options.

This is not just about planning for the future.

Currently, there are 30 seriously injured Queenslanders waiting for a bed at the existing unit.

It is an unimaginable situation to be in and it is simply not good enough that this can happen in Queensland.

We trust Mr Nicholls will shortly release the government’s plan that will clear the current waiting list and provide full, dignified care for all Queenslanders who have suffered spinal injuries.

TOURISM AMBITION MAY COST

There is a lot to like in the Crisafulli government’s 20-year tourism strategy unveiled this week – and at the top of that list is its ambition.

The “Destination 2045” vision proposes as the North Star target for the state’s critical tourism sector a doubling of visitor expenditure, in real terms, within 20 years.

This is what would be called in the private sector a stretch target, but it is one that Premier David Crisafulli says he is confident will be achieved, and possibly sooner.

The plan also promises a focus on events tourism, sets as a goal the delivery of 45 new eco-tourism experiences by 2045, and pledges investment in better connectivity – both through attracting more international flights, and delivering better intra-state connections.

At an industry event on Monday, Tourism Minister Andrew Powell promised that a single permission process for tourism operations on protected areas would be in place within a year – doing away with the bureaucratic maze of red and green tape across multiple departments that traditionally gets in the way of eco-tourism ideas becoming reality.

The plan also targets a $4bn value from events by 2045, but there is no detail yet on how much extra cash will be set aside for event attraction, which is, frustratingly, critical.

There is also a goal of 40,000 new and additional hotel rooms – a big ask, but one the Premier says he is confident will happen because of the “investment certainty” that his government provides – and also its determination to loosen the grip the CFMEU has on construction sites.

And with 90 per cent of tourism operators being small businesses, the government is also offering them more support via “industry capability programs”.

Like we say, it is all fair enough in a broad sense. But the reality is still that many tourism businesses struggle, and so the government has a bit of a conundrum here – in that the sector will always be looking for help, and yet this vision does not appear to rely on the handing out of lots of grants to private companies.

The previous Labor government made grants an integral part of its approach to encouraging tourism. For instance, its $48.6m Attracting Tourism Fund helped recipients, including a polo club and luxury retreat on the Scenic Rim ($1.85m), a retail and events space at Mount Tamborine ($990,000), and Binna Burra Lodge in the Lamington National Park ($1.48m).

Giving out cash is a lot easier than doing the hard work of sitting down with a company and working through how the government may be able to help in other ways via changes to policy or practice or infrastructure. And this tourism strategy appears to recognise this, through its promise to: “Empower our industry operators to thrive by cutting red tape, boosting capability, supporting innovation and investing in skills.”

But with that said, the Crisafulli government has already shown it is not immune to the seductive siren call of taxpayer cash handouts. One of its early decisions was to confirm its pre-election promise of $5m for the $100m Whitsunday Skyway project at Airlie Beach, which is still in the approvals stage – raising the question of, if this is a such a
sure-fire winner then why do taxpayers need to help fund it?

This will be a key balancing act as this vision takes shape – how will this LNP government support a critical industry that often needs, and expects, ongoing cash support.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: Incumbent on LNP to act so whistleblower’s move not in vain