THE full extent of the maternity crisis gripping regional Queensland has been revealed, with documents showing the number of maternity wards closed by Labor has reached 37.
Since 1998 Labor has closed maternity services at Babinda, Mossman, Yeppoon, Mount Morgan, Moura, Springsure, Barcaldine, Blackall, Winton, Jandowae, Miles, Taroom, Texas, Wondai, Bowen, Clermont, Collinsville, Dysart, Moranbah, Kilcoy, Maleny, Mitchell, Quilpie, Weipa, Gayndah, Maryborough, Monto, Mundubbera, Gatton, Tully, Theodore, Nambour, Cunnamulla, Charters Towers and Gladstone, Biloela and Chinchilla are on bypass with uncertain futures.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said Governments should be funding and creating more services for Queenslanders, not less.
When the LNP was last in government maternity services were restored in Chinchilla and Beaudesert and more were on the way. None were closed.
“Queenslanders who want to live and work in the regions are telling me they are contemplating leaving their hometowns if they want to start a family,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“That’s not the modern Queensland we want to live in.
“In 2018 the Premier said she would fix the bush baby crisis but after the media spotlight faded so did her desire to follow through.
“What we’re now seeing in Gladstone has been happening right across this state under Labor.
“Gladstone is just the tip of the iceberg for a major problem that has been growing on Labor’s watch.
“In a city the size of Gladstone, it’s unacceptable for maternity services to be put on bypass for more than 200 days.
“In the electorate of Callide, which stretches from Calliope to Chinchilla and is the size of Tasmania, it’s unacceptable that not one maternity ward is operational.
“Babies have been born on the side of the road and have the name of a highway on their birth certificate.
“That is a failure from the State Government to plan, deliver and evaluate.
“Mums should be able to give birth when, where and how they want.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said all Queenslanders deserve to have a world class health system no matter where they live.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how dangerous it is for mums who don’t have access to urgent medical care during pregnancy,” Ms Bates said.
“This is a sad and sorry chapter in the Queensland health crisis.
“People in regional Queensland are feeling like second class citizens. The mass-closure of maternity services aren’t the labour pains women were expecting in their hometown.
“After being in power for 22 of the last 25 years this crisis rests at the feet of the Labor Party.
“And after three terms of the Palaszczuk Government, it seems they have given up on listening.
“It has been eight years of broken promises and eight years of the Labor Government destroying the health system.
“Regional Queenslanders deserve better.”