Retain the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport

Eligibility - Queensland citizens
Principal Petitioner:
Trina Farren-Price
2137 The Vistas Drive
CARRARA QLD 4211
Total Signatures - 2,632
Sponsoring Member: Alex Douglas MP
Posting Date: 4/8/2010
Tabled Date: 4/8/2010
Responded By: Hon Paul Lucas MP on 6/9/2010
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

The petition of citizens of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the Gold Coast Hospital closure combined with withdrawal of 250 promised beds from the new Gold Coast University Hospital will perpetuate the chronic public bed shortage on the Gold Coast.  We pay  our taxes and deserve a better deal from our about-to-be elected government.  As the sixth largest city in Australia we have a very poor public bed-per-population ratio.  The Gold Coast Hospital at Southport is well located with good public transport and extended infrastructure.  Many people can still walk to the hospital from the high density residential areas of Southport and Labrador.

 

When the Gold Coast University Hospital was initially promised on the basis of population growth and the poor state of services at the time, we were promised 1,000 beds.  Now we are being offered only 620 beds initially and the closure of the existing Gold Coast Hospital.  We now have 475 beds.  This is an increase of only 145 beds in the immediate area.  Demolition of the Gold Coast Hospital would mean loss of 475 beds and the local infrastructure which has taken our community and volunteers decades to build up.

 

Your petitioners therefore request the House to retain the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport to help the local bed shortage and live up to your promise of a substantial increase in bed numbers.