Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The minister would be aware that three of every four Queenslanders live outside Brisbane. The manning levels at five major hospitals in these areas are now officially unsafe. A further three are officially critical and possibly unsafe. This leaves nearly one-third of the state in deep crisis. Is the minister aware how infinitely worse the situation is in the northern half of Queensland, where there is now only one doctor per 1,026 people, whilst the Australian average is one doctor per 358 people? Is the minister further aware that his predecessor, Minister Wooldridge, stated publicly that in Egypt alone there are thousands of doctors, Coptic Christians, who would come to Queensland tomorrow if a job and visa were offered to them? Would the minister not agree that the substantive action taken by Premier Beattie to address the collapse of the system is (1) to have a talkfest; (2) to increase by 20 the medical school places—

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