In my last column I pointed out that, whilst the premier may have changed, nothing else had - with this Labor Government continuing to be wracked with chaos and crisis.
I also outlined three ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ the premier could have adopted:
Take real action to combat homelessness and housing affordability.
Drive down rates of ambulance ramping.
Tackle the youth crime epidemic.
I even gave him a couple of our LNP ideas that would help achieve those goals.
So, how’s he going?
Queensland Housing Crisis
Alarming new ABS data has exposed the Queensland housing crisis is set to get worse after the number of new homes has plummeted again in the past year.
The number of new homes built fell to just 32,411 across Queensland in the last year, a 6% drop on the previous year and an 18% drop under the Labor Government. The number failed to meet Labor’s own target for southeast Queensland, falling well-short of what was required across the state.
It is also staggeringly short of the 49,000 new home target Labor agreed to at national cabinet, amounting to just two-thirds of the commitment. The falling numbers are a direct outcome of Labor’s long-term failure to plan.
Queensland needs more new homes, not less, to ease the housing crisis by planning where and how new homes will be built. The longer Labor is in government the worse the Queensland housing crisis becomes and Queenslanders are paying a high price, whether they’re renting or buying.
Thousands of Queenslanders spend 24+ hours in emergency departments Shocking new figures have exposed thousands of Queenslanders are forced to spend more than 24 hours in emergency departments, waiting for critical surgery or admission to hospital.
The damning revelations are the latest picture into the decline of Queensland’s health system under Labor and the price Queenslanders are paying during the state’s chronic health crisis.
The data exposed in a Question on Notice, shows 4680 patients waited longer than 24 hours in emergency departments between July and October last year, simply to be transferred into hospital wards or for critical surgery or tests. Combine this with continued high ambulance ramping and it’s clear the system is broken despite the extraordinary and heroic efforts of our frontline health professionals.
These delays are a direct result of a government that’s failed to plan, resource and run Queensland Health adequately for nine years.
Youth Reoffending Rises Across Queensland While the state Labor Government continues to spruik its broken youth crime laws, new data has revealed the true extent of Queensland’s Youth Crime Crisis.
New figures released by the Australian Government Productivity Commission show the number of young people released from a sentenced supervision who returned within 12 months has jumped from 56.6% to 68.6% in Queensland.
In just 12 months, there’s been a 12% rise in reoffenders aged 10-16 years at the time of their release in Queensland. Because young criminals have no fear of Labor’s weak laws, they are reoffending within months of release.
No matter how many media releases, denials, dot point plans or ministerial reshuffles Labor produces, Queenslanders no longer trust Labor to get tough on crime.
Queensland needs stronger interventions to keep our communities safe and change the future for these young people, because current rehabilitation programs are clearly failing.
New Year, Same Labor
In closing, you will have noticed the premier and your local member of parliament are throwing out changes of direction and pretty pictures to give the impression they’re not the same tired three term Labor Government.
For example, Premier Steven Miles would now have you believe he would prefer the Gabba stadium isn't demolished and rebuilt for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Yet, as deputy premier and minister assisting the premier on Olympics infrastructure, he had signed off, announced and publicly supported the stadium's demolition.
And isn’t it ironic your local member of parliament is only now sharing ‘concept plans’ and ‘artists impressions’ of what the future might hold for the Bribie bridge, more than three years after she was elected and at the start of an election year.
Don’t let the backflips and concept plans fool you. This Labor Government has stopped listening to Queenslanders. They have no solutions for the housing, health, youth crime and cost of living crises confronting our state and your community.
Only the LNP has the right priorities for Queensland’s future.
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