06 Dec The Gulf left fighting for survival, Brisbane gets billions

The Crisafulli government is at risk of failing gulf communities if sustainable funding for a haemodialysis (renal care) service in Normanton is not urgently forthcoming, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter has said.

The long-awaited Normanton Hospital is set to open in 2025, but without ongoing funding for renal services, a major opportunity to bring families back to the region will be missed.

“It is great to finally see some investment in North Queensland’s crumbling health services, but without a fully equipped renal service at the new hospital, the same issues will exist,” Mr Katter said.

“Patients will still be forced to leave town for this life-saving treatment, which creates significant challenges in attracting new families and retaining those already invested in the area.

“The glaring disparity in funding priorities from Brisbane governments still seems to exist.

“They can’t find funds to equip a haemodialysis unit and sustain the service, yet they continue to pour billions into hosting a lavish Olympic Games,” the KAP leader said.

Carpentaria Shire Mayor, Jack Bawden, believes the ongoing costs associated with the running of the service is funding the Government can afford.

“We are looking at a cost of about a $1million to provide accommodation for a small team of specialist nurses to manage the service. This will hardly make a dent in the coffers of the Government,” the mayor said.

The issue is amplified by manipulated population data, hiding the real demand for essential healthcare services.

“Patients forced to relocate in order to receive treatment are no longer counted in their hometown’s population figures, effectively masking the true demand for renal services in rural areas,” Mr Katter explained.

“This is a prime opportunity for the Government to put their money where their mouth is and ‘Deliver for all Queenslanders’ by providing sustainable funding for the haemodialysis service while mitigating population decline in rural towns like Normanton.

“It is unacceptable that locals are talking about fundraising to equip a new hospital. This is core business for the Government, not charity work,” Mr Katter said.

“Healthcare is a basic right, not a privilege reserved for the South East. How we treat our most vulnerable defines the worth of a government,” Mr Katter said.

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