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Bligh busted fibbing about Qld Health fix
Labor has once again been caught out lying to Queenslanders. Shadow Treasurer Tim Nicholls said Labor’s proposed Queensland Health split has been exposed as a recycled idea sprinkled with more Bligh government spin and not a genuine fix responding to the $16 million fraud. “You can't fix the problem culture if the whole fix is premised on a lie and a con" said Mr Nicholls.
"This con reminds us that six years ago this Government recalled Parliament and changed the law to allow lying in Parliament in order to save the corrupt former Labor Health Minister Gordon Nuttall.
“This tired 20 year old government has not changed and yet again seeks to con Queenslanders with old plans – it’s like putting old wine in new bottles.
“Today we have confirmation that not only Geoff Wilson needs to go for the bungles within his department, but the Premier has shown why she also needs to go for blatantly misleading the Queensland community on the so-called Queensland Health fix.
“Whether its asset sales, fuel tax or dodgy fixes to cover her bungling ministers, it's more lies.
“Queenslanders still do not have answers to the fundamental questions beyond the alleged fraud. Queenslanders remain none the wiser as to what four million taxpayer dollars declared in public annual reports paid to Mr Barlow’s company were officially for.
“While it was always a distraction, the government can't hide behind the fig leaf that an investigation is occurring, as the forensic audit is over.
"There is no reason Queenslanders should not be told which services our hard earned dollars paid for,” he said.
“Queenslanders are also waiting for answers on why a general alert from the Auditor-General months ago about fraud risks across the government did not result in action - across the government,” said Mr Nicholls.
“This is an issue that requires answers not only from Wilson and the Premier, but from the Minister for ICT Simon Finn and Treasurer Andrew Fraser - who were responsible for responding to the Auditor-General’s recommendations on behalf of the government.
Mr Nicholls said the alleged fraud and these payments made in plain sight are not isolated - they come on top of a whole raft of bungles and massive waste presided over by this government including:
- The new Queensland Children’s Hospital which has blown out from $700 million to $1.5 billion for an extra 16 beds;
- The Sunshine Coast University Hospital which has also blown out from $500 million to $2 billion with not a single brick yet laid;
- The Gold Coast new University Hospital which is already $210 million over budget;
- The $76 million Health payroll system which is costing $220 million to fix;
- The Jayant Patel horror;- The corrupt former Health Minister Gordon Nuttall;
- And the alleged swindling of $11 million by a fraudulent public servant claiming to be a Prince.
“In over one week, the Premier has not made one good argument why her Ministers should not join three public servants in being stood aside,” said Mr Nicholls.
“Indeed, by trying to spin an old plan from the top drawer as a new solution to these problems, the Premier herself stands condemned for deceiving Queenslanders and adding insult to injury.
“The only way to get real change is to change the government. It’s time for a change, it’s time to get Queensland back on track,” said Mr Nicholls.
