After kicking off their election campaigns with a focus on crime, the Queensland Labor government and Liberal National Party have pivoted to health spending.
As the campaign entered its second week, Premier Steven Miles returned to Bundaberg, a seat held by Labor MP Tom Smith by a margin of just 0.01 per cent.
Bundaberg has been promised a $1.2 billion hospital that is set for completion by mid 2027, with the premier touring the site on Monday.
His government has now committed to a pipeline of 2500 beds across all health services.
Three new hospitals and 11 major expansions to existing services across the state are part of the $14 billion Big Hospital Build.
LNP leader David Crisafulli on Monday unveiled the LNP’s three-phase health plan with an additional $590.09 million in funding.
Mr Crisafulli has pledged to shave ambulance ramping targets to 30 per cent by the end of his first term if elected.
The LNP has used ramping targets to claim a “crisis” within the health system.
Current statewide ramping sits at 45 per cent, with the government’s goal of returning to pre-COVID levels – 28 per cent.
“Our plan will diagnose where intensive investment needs to be directed in our hospitals to treat and cure Labor’s health crisis with transparent and accurate data in real time,” the LNP leader said.
“Real-time data will not only deliver accountability it will allow us to identify where the pressure points are, targeting funding to heal them. “The LNP will also free-up hospital beds with streamlined triaging, embedding mental health specialist nurses at triage stations to fast track mental health patients into hospital treatment.”
The opposition’s policy also includes adding frontline staff to health service boards, something the premier took aim at.
“They haven’t checked the legislation,” Mr Miles told reporters.
“The legislation requires the inclusion of clinicians on hospital boards, so that key announcement is already the law.”
With just under three weeks to election day the opposition are on track to end Labor’s nine-year reign in Queensland with polling putting the LNP ahead, 56 per cent to 44 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton joined Mr Crisafulli’s campaign on Friday, and while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to venture north, Mr Miles has waved off any need for help from his federal colleagues.
“Anthony Albanese is a great mate of mine. He’s the prime minister of the country. He travels the country regularly. If he happens to be in Queensland between now and the 26th of October, of course, I welcome him,” he said.
“I don’t think it makes a lot of difference either way. I’m campaigning for this job in my own right.
“David Crisafulli might think he needs some of Peter Dutton’s ‘rizz’ to rub off on him, but I don’t. I’m doing fine.”
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