28th Nov 2018, 4:25 PM – Senate Motions - Lady Cilento Children's Hospital - Don't change name

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Liberal National Party Senator James McGrath (Qld), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) Lady Phyllis Cilento's long and dedicated career as an obstetrician, paediatrician, author, columnist, ABC broadcaster and women's activist,

(ii) her lifelong passion for women and children's health,

(iii) her pioneering work around mother and child care and nutrition, and

(iv) the Queensland Labor Government's shameful decision to rename the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital;

(b) further notes:

(i) 32% of Emergency Department patients at the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital are not seen on time,

(ii) 12% of ambulance patients are ramped at the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital for more than 30 minutes, meaning ambulances are tied up and cannot attend emergency calls during this time,

(iii) 17% of elective surgeries at the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital are not done on time, with a median wait time of 68 days – almost double the state-wide average, and

(iv) the cost to taxpayers of the politically-motivated decision to rename the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital is expected to be at least $500,000;

(c) condemns:

(i) the Queensland Labor Government's failed consultation process, noting that the State Labor Government deregistered the name Lady Cilento Children's Hospital six months before it flagged any intention to change the hospital's name,

(ii) the Queensland Labor Government's use of an online survey to justify a decision made six months previously, and

(iii) the decision by the Queensland Labor Government to subsequently rort the survey responses, with nearly 18,000 'Yes' votes coming from the same 74 IP addresses; and

(d) calls on the Queensland Labor Government to halt its shameful campaign against Lady Cilento's good name, keep the name Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, and to instead spend taxpayer funds on fixing hospital wait times and improving the quality of care at the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital.