Health Minister won’t disclose release time frame of Sangster report

The fate of a multibillion-dollar hospital-building program is hanging on the outcome of a major report but Queensland’s Health Minister is refusing to reveal how long the government will sit on it before making it public.

Tim Nicholls the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services at a news conference about the Flu Vaccine, Clayfield – on Friday 28th February 2025 – Photo Steve Pohlner

The fate of a multibillion-dollar hospital building program hinges on a major report, but Health Minister Tim Nicholls won’t reveal when it will be released to Queenslanders.

Mr Nicholls is expecting to receive a “very lengthy” final report compiled by New South Wales Infrastructure specialist Sam Sangster in two weeks, which examines the $9.7bn hospital build program and exorbitant cost blowouts alongside shortages within the construction workforce.

Asked to confirm the report’s release within the year, Mr Nicholls told reporters, “I’m not going to go into a bidding war with you over which day, morning and what afternoon.

“The report will be released after the government’s had an opportunity to consider it.

“It will be considered by cabinet, we’ll consider it calmly and methodically, and then we will make our decisions in relation to it, and then we’ll release it.”

The final report is expected to be delivered to the cabinet on March 13.

A draft report was also due, following a 45 day time frame after the review was announced late December, but Mr Nicholls would not confirm if he had seen it.

He said the focus needed to be on the “main game” which was on the final report, and issues such as ageing building infrastructure and more than $6bn in projected blowouts.

The Hospital Capacity Program announced in June 2022 by then premier Annastacia Palaszczuk promised 2200 beds through three new hospitals, a new cancer centre and 11 hospital expansions by 2028.

Following concerns of cost overruns and inefficiencies that could be as high as $23bn, Mr Nicholls announced the review, which has formed repeated claims by Opposition Leader Steven Miles there would be health cuts.

Mr Nicholls said the same number of beds will be delivered and claimed the government could do it “better than Labor” as it was addressing a funding shortfall.

“We’re going to need to look at the delivery of that program, and we’ll continue to do that, ensuring that we can deliver all the beds that have been promised together with the clinical scope,” he said.

“In the past we’ve seen things, for example, like pharmacies not being included, kitchens not being included, not enough beds being included, so this will give us some guidance on how we can make sure we optimise the program and deliver the beds that have been promised.”

Originally published as Health Minister won’t disclose release time frame of Sangster report