More health budget worry

AS the Cairns health service’s $80 million budget blowout saga continues, the Cairns Post today reveals what appears to be more waste of taxpayer funds.

We now learn that the government has paid millions of dollars in compensation to an Edmonton cane farming family after it was decided part of their property would no longer be required for a second hospital for the Cairns region.

At least $5.25 million in compensation has been paid to the Mann family after the land compulsorily acquired by the Labor government in 2010 lay idle for six years.

It is not known what was paid for the property but it was returned to the Manns under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967.

It is also not clear if the compensation came from the health service’s budget, with the government refusing to say.

Now the government is looking for another piece of land for a health facility for the rapidly growing southern corridor.

Why on earth didn’t the government just keep the Mann land? Now it will have to pay more for a new area of land, more taxpayers’ money.

Former Cairns city councillor and long time Edmonton resident Fran Lindsay quite rightly describes the situation as “a wasted opportunity”.

Next month we will find out what has caused the $80m blowout in the health service budget.

There are so many questions and few answers about the gaping black hole.

Taxpayers deserve to know more and full transparency about how their money is being spent.