Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023

Supported the bill's midwife-to-patient ratios and termination of pregnancy provisions, praising the RBWH staff and expressing support for extending health care to the regions.

“In terms of the history of that bill, I am happy to be on the record as a supporter.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

As Minister for Health, moved the second reading and outlined the bill's key reforms including midwife-to-patient ratios, expanded access to medical termination of pregnancy for nurses and midwives, and improved patient safety reporting.

“Access to sexual, reproductive and maternal health care is a fundamental human right which contributes to positive health, social and economic outcomes across the whole community.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported midwife-to-patient ratios but raised serious concerns about the impact on rural maternity services, noting his electorate of 75,000 square kilometres has 14 hospitals with no operational maternity ward. Opposed gender-neutral language changes.

“There are two classes of women under a Labor government: there are women in the bush, who are left without essential health services, and then there is everyone else.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

As shadow health spokesperson, supported the bill's provisions on nurse-to-patient ratios, patient safety reporting, dust lung disease and mental health but announced the LNP would vote against all amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act and Criminal Code, citing concerns about patient safety for registered nurses prescribing termination drugs and the replacement of 'woman' with 'person'.

“Based on what I have outlined, the opposition will vote against all the provisions of the bill which make amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 and Criminal Code. We cannot support those changes.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as the minister who originally introduced nurse-to-patient ratios in 2015, highlighting what he called the LNP's historical opposition to ratios and their alignment with the 'fake union' NPAQ.

“Let the record show that the LNP has always been opposed to nurse-to-patient ratios. No matter what those opposite say in this debate, they remain implacably opposed.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

As committee chair, strongly supported all elements of the bill including midwife-to-patient ratios and expanded access to medical termination of pregnancy, arguing the LNP fundamentally opposes termination of pregnancy.

“I fully appreciate that anyone living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities should have equality of access to health care.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Declared himself a supporter of right to life and opposed the termination of pregnancy provisions, citing concerns about lack of healthcare facilities in rural and remote areas for women who may suffer complications. Also opposed replacing 'woman' with 'person'.

“I will be opposing the clauses in relation to the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018—part 6, clauses 21 to 25—and the Criminal Code—part 2, clause 4, subclauses (1) to (9)—during the consideration in detail.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported the midwife-to-patient ratios but strongly opposed the replacement of 'woman' with 'person' in the legislation, and criticised the government for closing 37 maternity services across rural and regional Queensland.

“In an extraordinary move, the Labor government is using this bill to erase the definition of 'woman' from the statutes and it is doing that in International Women's Week.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported the bill comprehensively, outlining the key amendments including midwife-to-patient ratios, termination of pregnancy access, quality assurance committee disclosures, and mental health court report amendments.

“Midwives have been calling for this change for years. We know that ratios work.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as a landmark expansion of women's reproductive rights, particularly for regional Queensland women who face barriers accessing termination services.

“Access to safe termination-of-pregnancy care is a human right and essential for reproductive freedom. This bill safeguards that.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Strongly opposed the bill, particularly the termination of pregnancy provisions and gender-neutral language. Argued the government wants 'terminations in the country but not births', citing the potential loss of maternity services at Goondiwindi Hospital and safety concerns from the AMAQ.

“In spite of this, the government wants to see terminations in the country but not births. What a wicked position that is.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Opposed the bill due to concerns about patient safety risks of nurse-led medical terminations in rural and remote areas, the replacement of 'woman' with 'person', and the rushed parliamentary process.

“Not one to beat about the bush, Dr Pecoraro said of the bill's changes, 'Someone could die from this.'”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

As a committee member, supported expanding the scope of practice for nurses and midwives to perform medical terminations, citing evidence that about two per cent of terminations are self-inflicted because women cannot access services.

“The reason we are extending the scope of practice as the bill intends is that we know there are women in the regions seeking medical termination of pregnancy who are unable to access that at this point.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported the bill, particularly the counting of babies as patients for midwife-to-patient ratios and the improved access to termination of pregnancy services for regional women.

“All women across Queensland deserve access to the same health care, to equitable health care, and that is why I support these provisions.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Focused on clinical review and health service investigation provisions, raising unresolved allegations of patient deaths at Bundaberg Hospital. Stated he would vote against the termination of pregnancy provisions.

“It is important that we continue towards a full external and independent investigation into medical wards 2 and 3 at the Bundaberg Hospital.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported midwife-to-patient ratios in principle but opposed the bill overall because the termination of pregnancy provisions were bundled with the ratios changes. Argued the government should spend $40 million on saving lives rather than making it easier to terminate pregnancies.

“It is amazing that we can find—we know this in rural and regional Queensland—$40 million to terminate a life, but the government cannot find $40 million to save lives by putting dialysis units in remote regional centres across our state.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

As the only nurse in parliament who voted for safe ratios in 2016, strongly supported midwife-to-patient ratios and the expansion of scope of practice for termination of pregnancy, arguing baseline education and multidisciplinary teams have significantly improved.

“The peer-reviewed studies demonstrate that nurse- and midwife-to-patient ratios save lives.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as a landmark piece of legislation expanding women's access to medical terminations in regional and remote Queensland and introducing midwife-to-patient ratios.

“On this side of the House, we believe that abortion is essential health care and that women and girls should have access to that essential health care, no matter where in Queensland they live.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported nurse-to-patient ratios and other health provisions but strongly opposed the termination of pregnancy clauses and gender-neutral language changes. Moved a reasoned amendment to split the bill so members could vote separately on the two sets of provisions.

“We in the LNP support and that we certainly commend. There are changes to the Hospital and Health Boards Act which—as we have heard—enshrine nurse- and midwife-to-patient ratios to include a newborn baby.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported the midwife-to-patient ratios but opposed the termination of pregnancy provisions, citing the lack of doctors and health services in her regional electorate which would leave women at risk if complications arose.

“Should complications arise for women in a community that has no doctor presence—which is a common situation right now in my electorate—they will have to rely on the emergency retrieval services of either the RFDS or LifeFlight.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported the bill in its entirety, criticising the LNP for not trusting healthcare workers and for their historical opposition to nurse-to-patient ratios. Shared a constituent's story praising healthcare workers.

“I rise to support the Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 2), in contrast with all of those opposite.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported the bill as expanding women's rights during Queensland Women's Week, particularly the termination of pregnancy provisions and midwife-to-patient ratios backed by trial evidence.

“These women deserve safe and accessible sexual and reproductive health care that does not discriminate on the basis of their backgrounds nor their socio-economic status.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported the bill as directly speaking to women across the state, particularly highlighting barriers faced by First Nations women in remote communities who must leave home weeks before birth and for whom English is a second language.

“I do not want women in rural and remote settings to be denied the right to choose over their reproductive health.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Supported the bill's reforms as positive but incremental, arguing they need to be backed by significant funding to truly improve healthcare access. Criticised both major parties for underfunding the health system.

“Abortion is not just a privilege; it has to be viewed as an essential right when it comes to health care. It needs to be safe, legal and free.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

As Health Minister, delivered the reply speech defending the reforms including midwife-to-patient ratios, expanded access to medical termination, and gender-neutral language. Committed that additional practitioners would not perform terminations until all training and safety protocols were in place.

“I am so proud to be making these reforms a reality for Queensland women and girls.”— 2024-03-07View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, emphasising women's right to choose and access to health services in regional and remote areas, and criticising the LNP for voting against these provisions.

“I believe very strongly in the right to choose. It is the right of every person to make those healthcare decisions for themselves without coercion from the state or from oppressive laws.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Opposed the bill's termination of pregnancy provisions, arguing the $40 million should be spent on saving lives through services like renal care in remote areas rather than expanding access to terminations. Raised concerns about patient safety in remote locations.

“We spend so much time in this House trying to preserve life ... However, when does a life become a life?”— 2024-03-06View Hansard

Supported the bill, expressing pride in the government's introduction of midwife-to-patient ratios and acknowledging bereaved parents who leave hospital without their babies.

“I am incredibly proud to be part of a government that installed that nation-leading provision. I am very thrilled that there is now a ratio when it comes to mums and bubs.”— 2024-03-06View Hansard