Gympie MP Tony Perrett slams Qld budget for lack of hospital help

Gympie’s state MP has accused the government of “scraping the bottom of the barrel” on Gympie investments as much-needed improvements on one of the region’s key services were nowhere in sight.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett has slammed the State Government’s 2022 budget as lacking vision and failing to meet the needs of a rapidly growing region.

The budget featured another record spend on Queensland health services to alleviate chronic hospital issues, which Treasurer Cameron Dick said would put “healthcare first”.

But the long-suffering Gympie Hospital did not get a mention as part of that package.

This was in comparison to the a $40m commitment to the Hervey Bay Hospital for an expansion with 35 new beds, and a new $1.2bn hospital earmarked for Bundaberg.

Mr Perrett said in a statement Tuesday the budget “fails residents of the Gympie region”.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett has been outspoken on the need for investment in the Gympie Hospital for years after its children’s ward and fracture clinic were closed due to staffing issues.

“Health services in our region are in crisis and there is absolutely nothing in the budget highlights or the capital statements for Gympie,” he said.

Mr Perrett has been outspoken on the need for investment in the Gympie Hospital since its children’s ward was closed in 2021 due to a lack of paediatricians.

More recently, the hospital’s fracture clinic was closed due to staffing issues.

Patients were forced to travel to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for treatment instead, nearly 100 kilometres away.

He told the Gympie Times in a statement on Thursday he had hoped the budget would deliver a new hospital for the region.

But despite the lack of commitment to the region’s struggling hospital services, a select few projects in the Gympie region were mentioned in the budget; including a $100,000 pledge for a $6m replacement fire station, the continuation of the Gympie bypass and the Cooloola Coast Esplanade revitalisation project.

A $100,000 commitment to a replacement Rainbow Beach police facility was mentioned in the documents too, Mr Perrett said.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick hands down the 2022-23 state budget, at Parliament House. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Treasurer Cameron Dick also pledged $48m over two years for the Lake Borumba Hydro Dam project while the budget was handed down in parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Dick said the funding was dedicated to “advanced early works” for the project.

But Mr Perrett said the Government were “scraping the bottom of the barrel” with the number of investments to the region.

He noted the lack of commitment to improving flood immunity in Gympie, an upgrade to the Imbil Police Station and increased rail services from Gympie North station to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

“As health services are being diverted to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane residents need improved services and extra facilities, including toilet facilities,” he said.

He also criticised the government for a “next to nothing” increase in social housing, state-controlled roads, bridge upgrades, and schools for the Gympie region.

Originally published as Gympie MP Tony Perrett slams Qld budget for lack of hospital help