Handballing health from State Labor to Federal Labor won’t fix the problem

Transferring responsibility for health from State Labor to Federal Labor won’t fix the problems plaguing our hospitals, the State Opposition said today.

State Opposition and LNP Leader John-Paul Langbroek said while the LNP would study today’s announcement in detail, it was clear the Prime Minister had no faith in the Bligh Labor Government’s ability to manage the health system.

“Kevin Rudd’s announcement is an embarrassing vote of no confidence in the Bligh Labor Government and other State Labor Governments throughout Australia,” he said.

“However, the answer to fixing our health system isn’t handballing it from State Labor to Federal Labor – the answer lies in changing the Government.”

LNP Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle said he was sceptical about Mr Rudd’s announcement of ‘local hospital networks’.

“This is the same man who presided over the abolition of local hospital boards under the Goss Labor Government and the creation of a massive new health bureaucracy in Queensland,” he said.

 “It now appears Mr Rudd wants to take money from State Governments to duplicate that bureaucracy in Canberra.

 “The Rudd Labor Government couldn’t even ensure a roof insulation program was run safely, how can we trust them to fix the health system?”