State Member for Clayfield and Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls spoke to the Village Voice on October 24, the anniversary of last year’s state election, to reflect on another year in office, this time with the LNP in government.
A big local project for the government has been the development of Hamilton Northshore.
“We’re in the final phases of finalising the new master plan for the Hamilton Northshore precinct under the auspices of Economic Development Queensland,” Mr Nicholls said.
He said they aim to treat the locals as partners, and their priorities are to free up land for additional housing while preserving open green space along the riverfront.
“What we’re really keen on is making sure that mix of styles and opportunities is there so that a young family of a young police officer, or an early career teacher, a graduate nurse, so that they have accommodation as well as families who are choosing to live in an apartment lifestyle,” he said.
“And then as well, there will be a smattering of those more high-end apartments because it’s a river location.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to release that master plan out for consultation before… the end of the year.”
For now, he said Northshore’s industrial sites such as the asphalt and concrete plants are not part of the government’s Priority Development Area and will stay where they are, but over time that may change.
Mr Nicholls confirmed the promised Gold CityGlider bus route from Hamilton Northshore to Woolloongabba is still on track.
He said the government has made funding available to the Brisbane City Council, and the council and Department of Transport and Main Roads are now planning implementation, with a timeline yet to be announced.
Regarding the stalled Stage Five of the North Brisbane Bikeway project, which Brisbane City Council is waiting on a state cycling grant to progress, the MP reiterated his support for a route that passes Kedron State High School.
The project saw years of discontent from locals over the original route along quiet residential streets, which Mr Nicholls did not support, and the council confirmed earlier this year the route would follow Kent Rd.
Prior to the election, Mr Nicholls pledged $4 million to Brothers Rugby Club as part of their redevelopment, and he said the first part of that payment has now been made.
Another major sporting facility in the Clayfield electorate is also in need of redevelopment – the 75-year-old John Power Stand at Eagle Farm Racecourse has reached the end of its life.
He said the grandstand is “something that’s very firmly on my radar as the local MP”.
Mr Nicholls campaigned on a promise to deliver on crime, health and the cost of living.
“Speaking to our local police and the officer in charge at Hendra, whilst there’s still too much offending going on, that appears to have plateaued,” he said.
Mr Nicholls said Hendra Police Station now has more police, with the government having boosted the number of policing recruits.
He said they have a two-pronged plan: stronger enforcement, better laws, and more police; and rehabilitation and prevention.
Mr Nicholls noted Queensland’s youth detention facilities are running “pretty well at capacity” and they have expanded these facilities, both youth and adult, to accommodate more offenders.
“We’re building capacity into the system and making sure that we’ve got both the detention capacity for young offenders and the rehabilitation programs in place,” he said.
Despite a year of controversies in the health portfolio, including the first protected industrial action from the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union in 23 years, and restrictions placed on transgender healthcare with a ban on hormone therapy for minors, Mr Nicholls said he is honoured to be health minister.
“It has been a tremendous privilege to be able to take on the role of minister for the single largest department in the government, with the single biggest number of employees – over 130,000 – and the single biggest budget – over $33.1 billion,” he said.
“And also, putting all that to one side, the single biggest responsibility of ensuring people’s health and wellbeing.”
Mr Nicholls said he was proud of the Open Hospitals online resource they have delivered, which provides real time data on wait times and advice for people needing health care.
The government is also funding new MRI and CT machines for 11 hospitals and has reduced elective surgery wait times.
Though Queensland nurses and midwives had to enact a 10-month campaign to receive improvements to their wage and conditions, they have now seen the biggest wage increase in more than a decade.
“We had a bit of going backwards and forwards over what [nation-leading wages] exactly mean and who we were comparing ourselves with,” Mr Nicholls said.
“And ultimately, with the assistance of the industrial relations commissions, we landed on that nation-leading wages and conditions deal.”
At the time of print, the Queensland Supreme Court had overturned the hormone therapy ban, deeming it unlawful, and ordered the government to pay costs; however, Mr Nicholls overruled the court and reinstated the ban.
The health minister noted his disappointment in the approval of a McDonald’s drive-through in Hendra despite community protests in opposition.
“My submission was in support of the residents and opposed to the development on that site and I am disappointed in that outcome,” Mr Nicholls said.
“Ultimately, that’s a matter that the council determines through their planning laws and their planning regime.”
