QUEENSLAND’S opposition has accused Labor of returning to its old ways of micro-managing the public service and appointing mates in plum jobs.
LIBERAL National Party leader Lawrence Springborg has cited the new health minister’s “ridiculous” criticism of the outgoing health director-general and a controversial job appointment as reasons for concern.
Health minister Cameron Dick demanded an explanation about why former director-general Ian Maynard ignored “internal processes” when he sent a thank-you note to staff last month. Mr Springborg, the former health minister, said Mr Dick’s job was to set the policy direction and make sure it was implemented, not to control every single communication. The opposition leader said Labor was guilty of trying to bring back “centralised control, micro-management and paranoia”. “A witch hunt over a thank-you message to staff, where he even wished the incoming minister all the very best; come on, are you for real?” Mr Springborg told AAP. “This is old Labor, this is why health fell into dysfunction under them because they lost sight of the main game, the patients.” He also questioned Labor’s appointment of Daniel Cheverton, who resigned as an election candidate in December following an alleged sexual harassment scandal, to a plum job with the Queensland Investment Corporation. Mr Springborg asked why Mr Cheverton wasn’t acceptable as a candidate, but appropriate for a role in the state government’s investment arm. “It looks like a job for their mates,” he said. “Really, there’s just too many coincidences around this. Queenslanders aren’t fools, they know this is just too cute.” Comment has been sought from the government.