Hervey Bay residents urged to “Blow the Whistle” on Government Waste and Red Tape

HERVEY BAY residents are paying the cost of State Government mismanagement with long waiting lists for cataract surgery and other health services, community leaders heard today at an LNP Waste Watch round table.

The LNP Waste Watch Shadow Minister Fiona Simpson and LNP Member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen met with residents and business owners who shared their concerns at a round table discussion today.

Mr Sorensen said the $223 million cost blow out on the health payroll system was an outrageous waste of taxpayers' money which could have funded 4,725 nurses. "That money could have shortened the waiting list for Hervey Bay residents and got them off the endless waiting lists for basic services," Mr Sorensen said.

Ms Simpson said the $1.1 billion wasted on Traveston Crossing Dam and a pipeline to connect it was money that should have been focused on cutting the cost of living for Queenslanders and improving local services.

One local example of waste where a staircase had been built over a fallen tree on Fraser Island, rather than the dead tree being removed, also showed just how ridiculous the extend of Government mismanagement had become, they said.

Mr Sorensen said, "It's time for common sense and proper management."

Ms Simpson said: “Under the watch of Australia’s worst treasurer Andrew Fraser, this lazy, tired 20 year old Labor Government has not only racked up an $85 billion debt with an interest bill of $595,000 an hour, but has also lost Queensland’s AAA credit rating.”