The petition of Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House to the urgent need for an upgrade of the facilities in the Emergency Department of the Maryborough Hospital together with the implementation of a low risk birthing unit at the Maryborough Hospital.  During recent floods, Maryborough people were unable to access the Hervey Bay Hospital, should there be a cyclone in this area, significant areas surrounding Hervey Bay could be subject to a storm tide surge, again isolating Maryborough people from the Hervey Bay Hospital, the Draft Wide Bay Regional Management Plan directs that the majority of residential development in the next 20 years will be in Maryborough and finally the Hervey Bay Hospital is at or past capacity.  It makes sense to utilise an existing hospital building in Maryborough to supplement the services of the Hervey Bay Hospital and provide a greater flexibility in the delivery of these services.

Your petitioners, therefore, request an urgent upgrade to the Emergency Department of the Maryborough Hospital and implementation of a low risk birthing unit at the Maryborough Hospital.