Federal Member for Flynn Colin Boyce has slammed the State Labor Government over its lack of urgency to address the issues the Gladstone Hospital faces.
This is following the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit being on bypass since July 8 and the gradual decline in other medical services.
The hospital serves a regional city of 60,000 and surrounding towns including Biloela. The maternity unit delivers about 600 babies a year.
It is the only hospital available to expectant mothers after the Labor State Government bought the former Mater Hospital and incorporated it into the public facility in 2020.
Mr Boyce released a petition on August 18 drawing attention to the decline in the availability of maternity and other medical services at the Gladstone Hospital and the negative impact this has had on the wider Gladstone region and surrounding areas.
“The petition calls on the Premier the Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk and Health Minister the Hon Yvette D’Ath to provide adequate funding, resources, and qualified medical professionals to the Gladstone Hospital to deliver maternity and other medical services,” Mr Boyce said.
“So far, the petition has been signed by almost 2,000 people from across Central Queensland. Including expecting mothers and their concerned family and friends.”
Mr Boyce singled out Cabinet Minister and Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher regarding his lack of leadership over the issue.
“Mr Butcher is part of a government that is introducing the world’s highest royalty rates in the world yet cannot even provide the resources the Gladstone Hospital needs to deliver maternity services. Do they not realise how much GDP comes out of the Gladstone region and Central Queensland?” Mr Boyce said.
“Mr Butcher and the State Labor Government need to get off their backsides and focus their attention on regional Queensland by delivering solutions to return maternity and other medical services to the Gladstone Hospital as soon as possible.
“Enough is enough, our region deserves better.”
The Gladstone Hospital petition can be signed at: https://www.colinboyce.com.au/gladstonehospital/
