LNP PLEDGES $160M, NOW, HOW ABOUT LABOR?

THE Cairns Post’s campaign for a Cairns University Hospital has kicked its biggest goal with the LNP pledging to build the $160m facility.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington will announce details of the funding on Wednesday.

It is the most significant declaration of the state election campaign for the Far North and puts enormous pressure on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Labor Party to match the promise.

The commitment gives the LNP a clear advantage in the Far North and embarrasses the ALP, which has dillydallied over the project for almost two years.

Up until now the LNP had pledged only $20m — $15m to acquire the site and $5m for a business case.

The ALP made a pre-election commitment of $15m for the land and $1.5m for the business study.

Last week we implored Ms Frecklington to commit to the proposal and she has delivered.

Ms Frecklington said a LNP government would invest $160m to fully fund stage one of the Cairns Health and Innovation Precinct, including an additional 80 beds.

She said a university hospital “will catapult Cairns health services into a new era and patients will be able to get advanced treatments at this state-ofthe-art facility”.

Ms Frecklington also said the city’s economy had been “smashed” and major construction projects such as the university hospital “must be brought forward to get people back into work”.

This newspaper has been leading the push for the tertiary institution with Operation 2025 for the past two months. It proves that the voice of the Far North for 138 years, with its valued readers, is a strong influence for the betterment of all residents. Nick Dalton Deputy editor