The Urgent Care Clinic promised for Cairns remains undelivered as the Labor Government fails to meet the delivery deadline.
Labor promised all 50 Urgent Care Clinics announced during the election would be up and running by 1 July 2023, but only a handful have actually been established by the Albanese Labor Government to date.
The Government’s failure to establish and deliver the original 50 clinics within their own timeframe is a blatant broken promise.
In fact, they are even trying to take credit for merely rebadging 8 clinics established by the Victorian State Government, which is far from providing the promised improved access to critical healthcare and reduced pressure on hospital emergency departments.
Shadow Minister for Health, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston said, “As we reach the 1 July deadline, we still have no details about where the missing clinics will be exactly located or when patients can be expected to walk through the doors.”
“Labor also promised that every Urgent Care Clinic would be open during the extended times of 8am-10pm as a key part of their operation, but it was revealed in Budget Estimates that this won’t even be the case,” Senator Ruston said.
“It is becoming more and more evident that Labor sold the public a lie,” Senator Ruston said.
Federal Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch MP said, “since the Labor Government came to power, it has become more difficult to get access to a GP, our healthcare system is under serious pressure, and now they have broken their promise to deliver an Urgent Care Clinic in Cairns.”
“Labor promised local residents that they would establish this additional health service, yet their failure to meet the deadline proves that they cannot be trusted to deliver real and urgent outcomes.” Mr Entsch said.
The Albanese Government continues to prove that Labor only prioritises health during election campaigns, and they fail when it comes to actually delivering the services that the people of Far North Queensland need.
