Tomorrow's Sunday Mail delivers the crushing news that King Campbell's relentless drive to cut costs has now taken aim at Newmania's Breastscreen Programme, which will be scrapped. Responsibility for screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancers will be shifted to regional health.
I have been unable to locate a media release from the Health Minister or the Premier, although the Premier is apparently unavailable for comment tomorrow. This is the same 'hide n seek' technique used by Prince Lawrence of Borg's communications team to dodge the fallout after announcing the defunding of QAHC.
In the age of social media, it doesn't work. The Twitter response has been immediate.
@Brocklesnitch holy fuck
@Psephy What???!!!??? This is getting beyond a joke. #newmania
@Brocklesnitch Fucking unbelievable!! The LNP dismantling Breastscreen QLD. Continuing their attack on women. http://t.co/OUZLFP7K (ht @SalPiracha)
@4CThinking OK, that's it - this LNP mob are seriously delusional. This is mad ideology masquerading as fiscal responsibility #qldpol
@melkettle that is just wrong.
@MarianSmedley Newman has totally lost the plot! Queenslanders must surely be feeling betrayed to have trusted this madman
@Nettie_2601 “Shock as LNP government winds up iconic statewide cancer service BreastScreen - http://t.co/F2D7QlLU ” WTF are they doing?
@ginoandrieri On Sat night of Olympics no less... “@SalPiracha: Shock as LNP winds up iconic statewide cancer service BreastScreen http://t.co/X4s7f9IC"
@Fraloob No words...
@purserj Campbell Newman is a complete arse. Its services like breast screen Queensland that gave us more years with my mother in law.
@littleaud1: @vanOnselenP hope you ask Newman why he is scrapping breast screen whilst he spends millions on the race industry. A travesty.
@MichaelTiyce: Breast screen QLD to be broken up ?? That's really a priority ? Gobsmacking stuff. #auspol
@Pollytics: Newman closes Breastscreen Qld, plus bowel & cervical cancer screening http://t.co/BxmoseQZ Naive madness
@bortlb: My aunt had breast cancer. My sister has breast tumours. The BreastScreen thing hits a little too close to home.
@GenGusface cant relax- newmans axing of #breastscreen is just so bad on so may levels- does he want qld women to die?
@Asher_Wolf: Every member of my immediate family has suffered from cancer. Some survived. Some didn't. Screening is essential. #BreastScreen
@cantdocampbell: I tried to think of something witty to say about my dismantling of Breastscreen Qld. But there is just nothing funny about it. It is fucked.
@lizbuchanan Can't be true, really BAD decision RT @GeorgiaWaters: So the Qld government will scrap BreastScreen. This is quite literally unbelievable.
This is a trending topic on Twitter tonight; the above selection is a few of the tweets from my tweet stream, and from a Twitter search for the term Breastscreen. There are many many more.
As Newmanians know, this is just the latest in a growing list of insulting cuts. After four months of governing, I imagine there are few Newmanians who have not been disadvantaged or disappointed by something King Campbell has altered, cancelled or cut.
Arts - Axing of the Premier's Literary Awards
Environment - Cuts to Solar Scheme from July 10
Roads & Transport - Plans for a new road Flyover into Enoggera Barracks Axed
Tourism - No sinking of 2 warships for a new dive site off Gold Coast
Values - No repeal of Gay Panic defence, which was promised by previous Government
Environment - ClimateSmart Programme axed
Public Service - Over 6,000 Public Service Jobs Axed on Black Friday
Values - Cuts to family planning services
Tourism - Axed military grave & memorials restoration programme
Public Service - 2,000 Railcorp workers get the chop
Values - Changes to Civil Unions legislation
Environment - Defunded the Environment Defender's Office
Values - Changes to laws allowing access to Surrogacy
Services - Defunded the Queensland Association of Healthy Communities
Services - Skilling Queenslanders for Work Programme has been cut
Marketing - Queensland's Logo - the "Beattie Burger" - is being phased out
Arts - Schools Music Programme, including Fanfare, has been cut
Education - The Education Budget has been reduced by $23m
Services - The Tennants Advice and Advocacy Service axed
Public Service - Another 2,000 jobs to go from Department of Transport and Main Roads
Public Service - More jobs to be cut from QBuild and Roadtek
Health - The Paediatric unit at Robina Hospital will be closed
Assets - The Sale of three Government-owned Caravan Parks
Environment - Wild Rivers protection removed to allow mining exploration to commence
Services - Refusal to contribute to the federal government's NDIS
This list is not complete; it's a casual list of what I can remember. Please use the Comments section below to add any other cuts you know about; I'll keep an updated list.
What's next, I wonder. In terms of programmes and initiatives that have been funded, I can only remember two:
$300,000 to assist Clive Palmer's High Court Challenge against the Mining Tax
$110m to prop up the state's Racing Industry
I'm really out of words. The priorities of this government? No words.
Hi Sal,
ReplyDeleteI'm out of words too but did you remember the Sister's Inside Program?
The backlash, I hope, will be sustained and a huge slap in the face for the LNP. Where is the humility, grace and dignity that Campbell Newman pledged on winning the election?