Double penalty for health assaults

People who assault nurses, doctors and paramedics will face up to 14 years in prison under tough new laws introduced as part of the Queensland Government’s Safe Night Out Strategy. Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said thousands of health workers were punched, stabbed, bitten and spat on every year in Queensland while serving the public in…

Backlog maintenance blitz

Queensland public hospital patients will continue to receive world-class health care in a high quality and safer environment with building repair programs worth more than $124 million now underway. The essential operational maintenance and upgrades at key local facilities throughout the state, neglected by the former Labor Government, follows on from $51.6 million in emergency…

Eye surgery vision in sight

The wait for important eye surgery will soon be over for almost 8,000 Queensland patients with a $23.4 million blitz bringing them much-needed relief. Premier Campbell Newman said the new state-wide campaign to slash the ophthalmology (eye surgery) long wait list would improve the quality of life for patients who had been queuing for treatment…

Surgery wait time ‘best ever’

Fewer Queensland patients are waiting for important elective surgery with new figures showing a massive reduction in waiting lists of more than 90 per cent. Premier Campbell Newman said Queensland was poised to become the only state in Australia to reduce the number of long-wait surgery patients to zero by December. Mr Newman said the…

Positive signs for housing industry

Queensland’s housing industry continues to show positive signs, with figures released today showing housing finance approvals for owner occupied dwellings rose in August for the 20th consecutive month. Treasurer Tim Nicholls said approvals rose 0.3 per cent in trend terms in August to be up 5.0 per cent over the year. “Queensland has had the…

Strong Choices will boost Queensland jobs

Jobs figures out today highlight the need for Queensland to reduce debt so it can increase funding for job-creating infrastructure projects. Treasurer Tim Nicholls said while the ABS figures showed Queensland’s annual trend jobs growth was higher than the national average at 1.4 per cent, there was still more to be done. “Regardless of uncertainty…

Asset leasing plan will reduce debt and create jobs

The Queensland Government’s $80 billion debt would be reduced and funds would be freed up for job creating infrastructure under the final Strong Choices plan to lease some government-owned assets.  Premier Campbell Newman said the Government had listened to Queenslanders and responded to their feedback about retaining their stake in public assets.  “We have listened…