Abbott’s $478 million black hole
Queensland’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, Paul Lucas, says Tony Abbott’s beds promise made yesterday, would leave the Queensland budget with a $478 million black hole.
Mr Abbott told media he would deliver on his election commitment “by giving states the money after they’ve opened the beds”.
“Tony Abbott won’t build a single new bed under this policy, or fund the hiring of a single new doctor or nurse,” Mr Lucas said.
“He expects us to pay all those costs and take his word he’ll pick up the tab later once the patients arrive years down the track. The costs pile up a long time before that.
“How does this show leadership?
“This is policy by press release,” Mr Lucas said.
“It’s like telling the education sector we’ll give you more money for schools, but only after everyone’s graduated from year 12. Mr Abbott’s promise would cost Queensland taxpayers $478 million to build and staff the beds before one cent flows from his treasury.
“Mr Abbott has form when it comes to not funding things properly. When he was health minister he cut $1 billion from the health budget, he cut dental funding and he cut training places for GPs.
“Now he is promising more beds and expecting us to build them and pay for them until the patients arrive,” continued Mr Lucas.
“He won’t pay while we hire staff to open them. He won’t pay while we build the hospitals to house them.
“Tony Abbott will take us backwards to the bad old days of Canberra and the States fighting over money.
“He’s making promises he won’t even fund. That’s not health reform,” he concluded.
