David Crisafulli, the leader of the Queensland opposition, criticized the state administration for the state’s “broken health system” when addressing at a federal council meeting.
Together with Liberal leader Peter Dutton, Mr. Crisafulli spoke to party delegates on Saturday in Canberra.
Mr. Crisafulli touched on housing and adolescent violence throughout his speech, but he emphasized the need for better health and services throughout the state.
Mr. Crisafulli emphasized that Queensland had the worst ambulance ramping in the nation, which, according to latest data, had increased to 42%.
I’ve listened to Queenslanders whose spouses died in their arms while they waited for an ambo that never arrived, and I can guarantee you that wasn’t the paramedic’s fault. At the bottom of the ramp, they were stranded, he claimed.
The state opposition in June got additional statistics from Queensland Health that revealed ambulance patients have waited for a bed outside emergency departments for up to eight hours.
Between August and December of last year, Logan Hospital and Redland Hospital recorded the longest wait time, which was 7 hours and 56 minutes.
“This week, mayors and leaders of the Torres Strait wrote to me pleading with me to bring up a matter with the Premier,” Mr. Crisafulli stated.
“The problem was that because of a dysfunctional healthcare system, they have a number of deaths every week that are entirely avoidable.
“They told me that people are dying in the Torres Strait because their families can’t afford to go to Cairns and get their bodies returned to where they want to be buried and they can’t afford to get treatment there.”
Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk was allegedly approached about the problem by Mr. Crisafulli, who said her response was to “vote for the Voice.”
Four of the birthing units in regional hospitals in Biloela, Cooktown, Chinchilla, and Weipa are currently on bypass as a result of Queensland’s chronic pregnancy crisis.
Due to a lack of resources, expectant mothers must travel a long distance to give birth.
According to the Courier Mail, Gladstone Hospital’s maternity bypass ended on Tuesday, bringing back full services after it had to close owing to a shortage of obstetricians in July of last year.
The state is investing $42 million on maternity facilities over the following four years, which will involve the growth of obstetrics and gynecology services in regional and rural areas.
The leader of the Queensland Liberal National Party reiterated his aims at the conclusion of his address in anticipation of the state election in October 2024.
On Saturday, he stated, “Delegates, the people of Queensland get an opportunity to change their state in less than 500 days.”
Mr. Crisafulli pointed out that the state election for the Northern Territory will take place in August 2024, just before the one for Queensland.
However, he added, “we will be the first state since all of mainland Australia switched to Labor.
We must do it for small and family businesses, who now more than ever require tax certainty and fewer regulation.
“We must do it for service delivery so that people can pick up the phone and have a blue uniform or an ambo turn up to them, so that the national parks can be managed well, that their kids can get an education, and that their kids can afford a home.”
Peter Dutton, the leader of the opposition, spoke after him.
