Liberal National Party | Ros Bates at Redlands Hospital
Labor restricts MP hospital visits:
The Palaszczuk Labor Government’s restrictions on Members of Parliament visiting Queensland hospitals have come into effect, with the Opposition questioning the government’s real motivation.
Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle was granted a three-hour visit to Redlands Hospital with local Members Matt McEachan and Mark Robinson and Deputy Chair of the Health and Ambulance Committee Ros Bates, only to have it slashed to one hour with access only to the Paediatrics, Maternity and Rehab wards.
Access had originally been granted for access to the Emergency Department, Renal Unit and Cardiac, Palliative Care, Maternity, Paediatrics, Rehab and Surgical wards.
Mr McArdle said the Health Minister’s decision to restrict the visit was a case of ‘vindictiveness in the extreme’ and questioned what Labor had to hide.
“Up until now, I have always been granted access to hospitals right across Queensland, without these over-the-top restrictions,” he said.
“This is either an act of extreme pettiness from Health Minister Cameron Dick, or worse, he is concerned that visiting MPs might uncover something.
“It really does seem like this Minister has something to hide, not satisfied to simply change all the locks in his own office, he is now trying to lock the Members of Parliament out of hospitals.
“My question to the Minister is – what is going on in Queensland hospitals that needs to be covered up?”
Mr McArdle said former Health Minister Lawrence Springborg had empowered local Hospital and Health Services to make decisions around visiting MPs.
“This took the politics out of these visits and allowed elected members to do their jobs,” he said.
“It’s no secret that the Health Minister doesn’t like to be criticised, but that’s no reason to shut elected members out of Queensland hospitals.
“By interfering in this process the Palaszczuk Government is not only breaching the Westminster Conventions that are integral to our democracy, but they are also denying Queenslanders access to vital information about the performance of our state’s health system.”
Mr McArdle questioned whether or not LNP Members would be banned from visiting local police stations or attending school speech nights.
“After nine months in power, it’s becoming clear that the Palaszczuk Labor Government is taking Queensland back to the bad old days of political control and cover ups,” he said.
“This isn’t what Queenslanders voted for.”
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