Queensland’s Major Parties Clash Over Health Policy in Stafford Byelection
As the Stafford byelection approaches, with just a week left until voters cast their ballots, Queensland’s major political parties are engaging in intense debates over health policy and hospital funding. This is the second out-of-cycle vote since the Liberal National Party (LNP) took control of the government in October 2024. The contest has become a battleground for differing views on healthcare, with each party seeking to win the support of voters in this key electorate.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls recently released data indicating that surgery waitlists across the state have reached a two-year low, and ambulance ramping figures are showing a downward trend. These claims have been met with skepticism from the opposition, who argue that the statistics do not reflect the reality faced by patients.
At Prince Charles Hospital, which is located within the Stafford electorate in Brisbane’s north, ramping rates have decreased by 4.4 percentage points compared to the March quarter of last year, according to the government. However, this figure has not quelled concerns raised by opposition leaders and local residents about the quality of healthcare services.
Among the nine candidates vying for the seat are LNP’s Fiona Hammond, Labor’s Luke Richmond, and the Greens’ Jess Lane. The race has taken on a personal tone, with Opposition Leader Steven Miles and his deputy, Cameron Dick, criticizing Premier David Crisafulli over allegations of wasteful spending. Specifically, they pointed to a $45,000 weekly billboard campaign promoting a $20,000 grant to a local school.
Dick described the advertising as an “obscene waste of money” and accused the premier of “plundering the public purse to promote his government in a byelection.” Richmond, who has been actively engaging with voters in the electorate, noted that none of the residents he has spoken to have expressed a desire for more government billboards. Instead, they have focused on the need for the LNP to reverse its decision to cut 93 beds at Prince Charles Hospital.
“What they tell me is they want the LNP to reverse its cut to the 93 beds at the Prince Charles Hospital. People are waiting longer and longer to receive the vital and urgent healthcare they so desperately need,” Richmond said.
Despite Labor’s claim that the plan for 93 beds will be scrapped, the Crisafulli government has pledged to deliver that number under its Hospital Rescue Plan. However, the timeline for implementation remains unclear.
Labor has also challenged the ramping figures provided by Nicholls, arguing that the data reveals a different story. According to Miles, while the LNP is celebrating the return of ramping levels to those seen when they first came to power, the data shows a more than 20 per cent increase in “ambulance lost time.”
“So our ambos are spending more time ramped and less time back out in a community, and that means people are waiting longer for ambulances,” Miles explained.
The issue of specialist outpatient appointments has also come under scrutiny. Miles highlighted a 22 per cent increase in the number of people waiting for a specialist appointment, emphasizing that these individuals are unable to even secure an appointment to see a doctor.
The byelection follows the sudden passing of MP Jimmy Sullivan in April. Sullivan had been sitting as an independent after being expelled from Labor last year following highly publicized allegations of domestic violence, which he denied. His passing has added a layer of complexity to the race, with new candidates stepping forward to fill the void.
Liam Parry, the first person charged under the state government’s ban on two protest slogans, is also running as an independent. His presence in the race underscores the broader political tensions surrounding the election.
With such high stakes, the Stafford byelection is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for Queensland’s political landscape. As the final days of campaigning unfold, all eyes will be on how the major parties position themselves on critical healthcare issues and whether they can sway the voters of this important electorate.
