Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise also seeking an apology from Queensland Labor for the way they're treating our beleaguered but beloved Redland Hospital. We are seeing cuts in funding to this hospital year on year, month on month.

I have before me the IHPA funding data showing that these cuts are continuing into this financial year. In data recently released, and the last data we will have until May, we can see that Commonwealth contributions to Redland Hospital increased from $49 million to $53 million. For the same time, the state government that runs the show, in August of last year cut its $127 million to $94 million year on year. This is IHPA data. It's data provided by the state Labor government, which is cutting the heart out of Redland Hospital. This is a hospital on life support. It is a hospital held together by the morale of its staff. It is a hospital that Labor is about to flick the switch on and possibly take many services that should be delivered at Redland out to Logan.

We're sick of hearing the blame game. State Labor is blaming the 20 people on home oxygen as being the problem. It's blaming late payments, as if that's a problem, and it's not building the car park that this hospital dearly needs. This is a hospital that we think is at serious risk under state Labor. Two state MPs from the Labor Party in witness protection won't even turn up and talk about the fate of this great hospital. It's important and it's loved, and we will make sure what every corner of this nation knows what state Labor is doing to Redland Hospital.