Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in this place today to give a huge vote of thanks to the amazing and dedicated doctors, nurses and all staff at the Townsville Hospital. Whilst I have been here in Canberra for these two weeks of parliamentary sittings, both of my parents were admitted to the Townsville Hospital. They are both in their 80s. My father has suffered a bleed on his brain which has required two neuro surgeries within the last week. And my mother has broken a pelvis as a result of a fall when she was caring for my father. My father's condition is also complicated by the fact that he has dementia. The medical care that they have both received in the Townsville Hospital has been nothing short of world class. Because of this, they are on a recovery journey. The care that my family has been shown has been second to none. As you can imagine, this has been a stressful time for my siblings and my parents.

Queensland Health has been recovering from the devastation of the Newman government over the last 18 months. I want to send out a very clear and strong message to those opposite: keep your hands off Medicare. Stop the cuts to public health and hospital services. Regional communities like mine deserve properly funded public health and hospital services, and every citizen has a human right to Medicare. I will make sure that my electorate clearly understands your total disregard for public health and hospital services if you continue with these cuts.

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