$2 million wasted on doctors’ litigation could have been better spent #qldpol #smoqld #keepourdoctors
Queensland Parliamentary Leader of the Palmer United Party, Dr Alex Douglas MP says $2 million jointly wasted in litigation this week by the State LNP Government and the Australian Medical Association would provide 100 hip replacements, 85 knee replacements, stents for 200 patients or treat 20 children with acute leukaemia.
“Is this really what the Premier thinks is an appropriate way to spend Queensland taxpayers’ precious monies?”, Dr Douglas asked.
“When the Premier Campbell Newman was asked about the litigation in Parliament today, he was confused why the government is litigating against the AMA in the Federal Court.
“This case is burdening Queensland taxpayers and costing AMA members huge sums of money in court costs each day.
“And what are the Premier and Health Minister trying to prevent in the Federal Court? They are seeking to prevent all AMA members speaking about the proposed Queensland Health doctors’ contracts.
“ Although the Federal Court yesterday rejected the LNP Government’s attempted injunctions, the government is persisting in its case to prevent the dissemination of factual information to all AMA members involved or likely to become involved in this matter.
“The Premier, Campbell Newman, and Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, are seeking to silence all opposition.
“This will effectively prevent people from making properly informed decisions about their futures based on detailed and factual information.
“The Premier and Health Minister continue to mislead their own LNP members and the public about the nature of the contracts and the motive for demanding doctors to sign the contracts immediately.
“This is validated by the public statements by the LNP’s Assistant Health Minister, Dr Chris Davis who states the contracts are unacceptable and the Health Minister must return to the negotiation table.
“The Premier stated today that he will not vary the contracts beyond what has already been offered.
“He also went further to state that if the doctors did not sign the contracts he would replace the doctors.
“This is in an atmosphere where the current AMA president, Dr Stephen Hambleton, has called on the LNP Government to stop the roll out of the doctors’ contracts immediately.
“Queenslanders are expected to sit out the crisis whilst the Premier and Health Minister engage in a form of terminal combat where nobody wins, least of all patients.
“The Premier is governing for his own self-interest and not the public interest.
“It is very difficult to see what political gain can come from trashing our free public health system and Queensland Hospitals.”
Source: Alex Douglas MP