Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will behave myself from now on.

Fortunately for the people of Townsville, Queensland X-Ray chose to go it alone, announcing last week that they would deliver Townsville its only PET scanner, without help from this government and long before this government were prepared to do anything. It is a sad day when the government cannot be trusted to provide vital, lifesaving medical equipment and that private enterprise is forced to pick up the slack alone and carry the bill. If this government could not see the economic sense in Queensland X-Ray's proposal then no wonder they think that $109 million is good value for a new level of bureaucracy, which has no power to require any more information from the bodies it is supposed to be watching than the information they are willing to supply. It beggars belief. On behalf of all the taxpayers in Australia, I urge the minister to consult, listen and act on the advice of people actually doing something in this industry. Do not just sit there and take up space.

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